Prime Minister's Son
by LavenRain96
Summary: Yuuichirou, the son of the Prime Minister, is given the very task of attending a world meeting being held France. However, even something as simple as that couldn't be accomplished when someone from his haunted past wants to capture him for revenge, which forces Yuuichirou to go into hiding and to rely solely on a medical student named Mikaela for his survival. (Alpha/Beta)
1. Unto the City of Love

**Chapter 1: Unto the City of Love**

"Rise and shine, Yuu-kun! Today is the day!" Yoichi greeted his master cheerfully as dark blue curtains were drawn open to reveal the sunshine. The bright, luminous lights of dawn that shone brightly on the late weeks of January signified the start of a new day. "You have to prepare since your plane leaves at exactly eight in the morning."

Yuuichirou grunted on his pillows and he stubbornly moved to cover himself further with his comforter, refusing to leave the heavenly confinements of his king-sized bed. He felt like he would be thrown in another endless spiral of boring ass political discussions that he didn't sign up for, so he curled himself to get more of that blissful softness for comfort before facing the day ahead. "Give me ten minutes, Yoichi."

"Eh…? That can't be, Yuu-kun." The brunette whined as he placed his hands on his hips as he stared down on the huge lump of his master's bed. "If you don't wake up this instant, Guren-sama will give you an earful again. This is part of your training, so get up!"

Yoichi grabbed a handful of the fabric covering Yuuichirou and yanked it away, revealing the raven in his pajamas with his hair completely disheveled and the side of his mouth having a trail of dried drool. He glared at his servant despite the sleepy expression that he held as he sat up. He yawned and stretched his arms and back before glaring at Yoichi once again. "… To think an omega would do this to a beta."

"Hey, I was just doing my job as your personal servant, Yuu-kun." The omega defended with a smile as his hands were raised in a defensive stance. "Besides… there's no escaping the fact that you'll be taking over Guren-sama's position once he retires."

"… Right." Yuuichirou yawned again before fixing Yoichi a serious look. "So… What's my schedule for today?"

"The Ichinose private plane will be waiting for you in the airport at eight o'clock sharp. It means that you'll have your breakfast between six-thirty to seven, and that you have to be dressed and ready before said time."

"I see…" The raven beta sighed as he stood up, reluctant to leave his bed. "Tell dad that I'll be in the dining hall at the designated time. He told me that he wanted me to know a few things about the event that I'll be attending."

Yoichi smiled as he bowed in respect for his master. "I'll tell him that right away, Yuu-kun. Oh, and… your luggage for the whole trip was already prepared to accommodate your needs."

"Really? Wow, thanks a lot, Yoichi. You're a life saver." Yuuichirou praised with a cheery smile as he took the knob of the bathroom. "I should really treat you to a vacation for your hard work and for all the deep shit that you had to undergo because of me."

"Huh? No, no! It's alright, Yuu-kun! You already did something for me back then. I'm just returning the favor."

"Is that so…" He paused for a bit. "Still! I'm going to repay you back somehow!"

"I already said that it's alright…"

"Well, it's not for me." Yuuichirou protested as he began to think. "Oh! Maybe I could get a souvenir for you in France? How about that?"

"I said it's alright, Yuu-kun…!" Yoichi cried out with a small blush on his cheeks as his beta master disappeared to the bathroom with a laugh. "Hmm… Does he ever listen to what other people are saying?"

* * *

In accordance with his promise, Yuuichirou arrived at the dining hall in time and his beta father, Guren, was already seated in one of the chairs still in his pajamas while his son was all dressed up. When Guren saw Yuuichirou, he gave an arrogant smirk at seeing him wide awake and prepared. "Morning, Yuu. I wasn't expecting you to be right on schedule."

"Dad, I'm not in the mood to be dealing with your shitty comments in the morning. So what if I'm early? You got a problem with that?" Yuuichirou grimaced as he took out a chair to settle himself down. "Besides, this world meeting thing is very important to you, but because you got infected with a flu, you're sending me over there to take your place."

"You got that right. World meetings only come once in a blue moon, after all. They usually hold discussions about the most common problems all over the world and they talk down solutions to solve it." Guren explained as he took a sip of his medicinal tea, then he held a solemn look that Yuuichirou knew that the bad part of the conversation was coming up. "However… it's also the time where numerous political leaders get assassinated. I know that I could hold out my own since I've been through these things before, but how about you? Think you could handle it?"

"You're asking me if I could deal with a few assassins by myself?" The raven beta repeated in an almost mocking tone. "Please… I've dealt with worse."

"This is not a laughing matter, Yuu. You're going to a foreign country with a culture that is different to ours. I can't guarantee your safety even if I send in Kimizuki and Mitsuba to protect you."

Yuuichirou blinked in surprise at how anxious Guren sounded, which was a first because he was always an ass to him in his pubescent life. But being a father, he was just looking out for his son and the raven couldn't help this feeling rising inside him that wanted to assure him that everything was going to be alright. "I'll be fine, dad, really. I was trained personally by you to protect myself, right? What's the worst that could happen?"

"A lot of things since you're the son of the Japanese Prime Minister." Guren elaborated further. "I don't want what happened three years ago to occur to you again…"

 _Ah… So that was it…_ The raven beta lowered his head for a while, contemplating on what to say next. _Of course dad would think of something like that. It practically haunted him for days._

In truth, it also haunted Yuuichirou for days and it even traumatized him to no end. But, because of how it greatly worried other people around him, he didn't dwell on it for too long and decided to move on… Yet he could still feel this strong pang of regret and depression for losing someone so important and for losing something that was originally a part of him.

He bit on his bottom lip for a while before giving Guren a reassuring smile, even though he needed the comfort more than his father did. "Don't worry. It won't happen again, I promise. I'm a lot stronger than what I used to be before."

His father's violet eyes stared at him as if to check if he was lying. Guren's eyes were pretty sharp and observant when it came to conversations like these so that he would know what to say in order to push his opponent in a corner. However, now he was just looking at Yuuichirou with a hint of concern, and then he nodded as he poured himself another cup of tea. "I hold you to your word, Yuu. Don't break it."

The raven nodded while servants came in the dining hall carrying various trays of food for breakfast. As they settled down, the twin doors of the room suddenly opened wide to reveal a petite, lilac-haired omega in her cute sundress staring at the two betas present with wide eyes.

"Yuu…!"

"S-Shinoa? What are you—"

Yuuichirou was cut off when Shinoa came jumping in to hug him tightly around his neck for dear life while Guren ignored them in favor of eating his breakfast. "You're not going to France, Yuu! I'm against the idea!"

"Huh? But I have to. It's my job."

"But what if something happens to you?! I can't stand to see you suffer all over again!"

"Shinoa…" The raven smiled softly as he gently patted her on the head to calm her down. "It's alright. I'm going to be okay. It's only for five days, after all."

The words made a pout on the omega as she faced Yuuichirou with big brown eyes. "But, Yuu…"

"No buts. This is my decision. I have to go to France to represent Japan in the world meeting. There's no escaping it since Japan is one of the leading countries in the world as well as a member of the United Nations and allies. It would be embarrassing on our part if there's no one in our country who is going to represent us." Yuuichirou explained for Shinoa as he held her. "Please understand, Shinoa. Dad isn't feeling well for the time being so I have to take his place as his son."

Shinoa frowned in distress as she looked down on her friend and fiancé before she slowly nodded in defeat. "Just… don't forget to contact us every now and then, okay?"

"I will." He promised as he stood up to give his fiancée a kiss on her crown.

* * *

"I still can't believe that someone like you would be able to read all those documents in a span of twelve hours…" Shihou commented as he drove the bulletproof limousine that held Mitsuba in the passenger seat and Yuuichirou in the backseat with a shit ton of papers in a briefcase. "I'm aware that you're Guren-san's son, but you're not as quick witted as him."

"Shut up, telephone pole. I'm trying to read here." The raven retorted nonchalantly as his eyes scanned through words and graphs ranging from social to financial to economical recordings and data of Japan. "It would be humiliating if I attend the world meeting without being aware of my own country's assessments. Dad will kill me with his Noya, or worse, with his Mahiru-no-Yo."

Shihou snorted. "I would like to see that. Father versus son... Guren Ichinose versus Yuuichirou Ichinose… The battle of the two strongest betas in the world…!"

"Wow, Kimizuki... You just admitted that I'm strong right there." Yuuichirou grinned as he tilted a document a bit to look at his bodyguard on the rear view mirror. "I thought alphas have more pride than that."

"Tch, that's because you cheated on me during our sparring practice. I had the upper hand on that one, by the way."

"Oh, really? Because it looked like you were pretty desperate when I pushed you in a corner while you accidentally tried to aim right for my legs, and the look on your face when I disarmed you was absolutely priceless."

Shihou could feel an eye twitch as Yuuichirou laughed behind him. He wouldn't lie about that. He did attempt to hit the beta's legs so that he would lose his footing, but Yuuichirou was quick on his heels and he managed to disarm Shihou in a flash with only his treasured sword, Asuramaru, as his weapon. It amazed Shihou that someone like Yuuichirou could do that, and it took a huge amount of denial and spite for him to finally admit that the beta was a lot stronger than him in terms of hand-to-hand combat.

'Imagine that… A beta defeating an alpha… How embarrassing.' The pink haired alpha's brows scrunched up in a scowl, scoffing at the thought. He would definitely get him back for the loss someday.

"Huh… Who knew? That's amazing, Yuu." Mitsuba complimented as soon as she heard the conversation. "Well, you were personally trained by Guren-san, so I expected nothing less. He was a very good swordsman."

"Yeah, well… I was mostly trained for self-defense in case some weird clusterfuck that involves my life will happen." Yuuichirou enlightened as his eyes stared out of the window, forgetting the documents as he took in the scenery with a fervent look. "It's kind of needed since I'm the Prime Minister's son, after all."

Shihou and Mitsuba stared at each other in bewilderment when they both felt like there was something much deeper behind the raven's words than it intended to be. But, being good friends with Yuuichirou, they mutually decided to just drop the topic as they drove their way to the airport for his sake.

Yuuichirou sighed as he fixed the documents properly and placed them back inside the briefcase. He had lost the interest to read them after what he just said, and the unnerving silence being exchanged between them was annoying him as well. It was so unlike Shihou or Mitsuba to be silent whenever he was around, and therefore—for the first time in a long while—he decided to strike up a conversation.

"So, uhm… I know this is kind of weird coming from me, but… have you guys… found your ideal mates yet?" He slightly winced at the last part and awkwardness immediately filled him afterwards as he waited for their answer.

"… I have." Shihou murmured as a small blush bloomed on his face. "But I don't think he'll like me…"

The reply made Yuuichirou perk up in shock and he grabbed the driver's seat where the alpha was seated with excitement showing in his eyes. "What?! No way! Who is it, Kimizuki?! Who is it?!"

"Damn it, why the hell should I tell you?! I just said that I like somebody, so what?!"

"Who. Is. It?! Tell me…!" The beta asked persistently as he began to shake the seat with force enough to hit Shihou's back repeatedly. "Tell me! Tell me! Tell me! Tell me, you damn telephone pole!"

"No! Over my dead—"

"—It's Yoichi he is in love with, Yuu." Mitsuba interrupted that made both men gasp and the alpha shot her a look of betrayal.

"Mitsuba—!"

"What? Yuu should know since Yoichi is his personal servant." The blond shrugged with a fake innocent face.

They became silent as Yuuichirou digested the information with his mouth gapped open in disbelief. "S-Seriously, Kimizuki? Yoichi? As in… for real?"

"Ugh…" Shihou smacked a hand over to his face as he turned red from embarrassment and groaned. "Yeah, there. Now you know. Happy?"

"W-When? How? Where?" Yuuichirou nagged at him with a very strong urge to get more information from the alpha. "I have a right to know, you know!"

"I know, and that was why I don't want to tell you."

"Why? I'm not judgmental, Kimizuki. I mean, there's a lot to like about Yoichi, but I just want to know what you like about him specifically." The beta clarified with a mischievous smirk. "Why? Are you scared that I might not approve of your feelings for my servant?"

The alpha sputtered. "It… It's nothing like that!"

 _Yep, he's definitely scared._

Yuuichirou blinked at him before bursting in laughter and patted Shihou on his shoulder. "Hey! As long as you make him happy, that's fine by me. You're an alpha and he's an omega. It's a perfect match!"

"Wait… Are you saying that you're allowing me to date Yoichi?"

"Of course, blockhead, but…" The raven leaned in close to whisper something into the alpha's ear. "If I hear that you got Yoichi pregnant before the two of you get married, I'm cutting your dick off."

Shihou flinched in his seat at the warning and he gave Yuuichirou an uneasy expression, but the beta just smiled it away like he didn't just threaten to castrate him a second ago. "I… I see…"

 _What was that just now?_

"Anyway!" The beta turned to Mitsuba with expectancy. "How about you Mitsuba? Do you have someone in mind?"

"Hmm… Not really, no… I have no one at the moment."

"Oh… No sweat. Take your time, Mitsuba. I'm sure you'll find somebody eventually…"

Mitsuba hummed in agreement before transferring her gaze into the window as the face of a female, lilac-haired omega appeared in her thoughts.

* * *

Being the Prime Minister's son had its fair share of pros and cons. The pros was the fact that Yuuichirou had a pretty, spoiled lifestyle where he could do whatever the fuck he wanted to do and never be questioned unless it involved the reputation of his father. The cons, on the other hand, was that he could never go in another place without having an arsenal of thirty or more bodyguards watching his back or forming a line to welcome him to the place with a red carpet to boot.

He grimaced once he saw the long line of men dressed in black suits greeting him. No matter how awesome it was to feel like he was a superstar in the spotlight, Yuuichirou didn't enjoy the fact that he was attracting _way_ too much attention for simply being in the airport with a freaking limousine. He didn't miss the gasping and the squealing noises of other people as he entered the building with Shihou and Mitsuba carrying some of his luggage behind him.

"Must be hard being the Prime Minister's son, huh?" Mitsuba whispered once she managed to catch up to him. "I mean, look at all this people, Yuu."

"Mitsuba, please…" Yuuichirou sighed heavily as he smelled a variety of scents everywhere that were all begging for him to look at their way. The intense mix of sickeningly sweet and pungent woods was making him feel nauseous to the point that he wanted to run into the nearest restroom to vomit. Thank God the Ichinose private plane had only a few people on board.

The blond beta immediately took note of Yuuichirou's queasy expression and she held him upright to keep him steady. "Y-Yuu…? Don't worry. We're almost there." She shot a glare to some of the ladies releasing their scent and pheromones in the air for Yuuichirou to smell.

"I'm fine, Mitsuba. Just… keep walking." He ordered as his footsteps began to slowly speed up, completely ignoring the coos of the girls and the whistles of men along with their irritating scents.

He wanted to leave as quickly as possible. These people were becoming too horny just by seeing him, and that bothered him a lot.

It didn't take him long to finally be in his assigned port and he practically shoved his passport and ticket to the person in-charge that sort of surprised her. "W-Welcome, Ichinose-san. I hope you'll have a nice trip going to France."

"Yes, thank you…" Yuuichirou said in a rush as he took back his passport and hurriedly left to board the plane while Shihou and Mitsuba were struck dumb at how the raven was so eager to leave.

"Their scents must be getting into him…" Shihou commented while holding his nose. "I don't blame him though. They smell pretty awful."

Mitsuba nodded. "Tell me about it…"

 _For the first time, I actually agree with him._

"Kimizuki…! Mitsuba…!" The raven beta yelled in the corridor once he got a good distance away from the overcrowded scents. "What are you waiting for?! Get your asses over here!"

"Yeah, yeah! Hold your horses, Ichinose-san!" The alpha yelled back before stomping to where Yuuichirou was while Mitsuba chuckled at the scene.

"Haah… Finally…" Yuuichirou groaned as he sat down on one of the comfy white seats provided by the first-class private plane. "Fuck, if I stayed there for too long, I could have puked on the spot…"

"W-Well, I guess this is the first time they actually see the Prime Minister's son in person, so they sort of got excited." Mitsuba reassured him as she settled down on a seat beside Yuuichirou. "You don't go out from the estate a lot, Yuu, and only a few people get to see you in person. So, I kind of get why they reacted that way…"

The beta shook his head in disagreement. "… You're wrong, Mitsuba. They didn't react that way because they saw me for the first time, they were reacting that way because mating season is near."

 _And they're giving off their scents at me because they want to mate with me._

"I… Is that so…? I didn't notice…"

"No, it's fine, Mitsuba. It's normal."

"I have to disagree on that, Yuu." Shihou came up with a glass of water at hand as he sat down on the seat across Yuuichirou. "The scents they were giving off were pretty strong, and if I wasn't mistaken, I could smell some of them giving away their pheromones as well."

"Huh, I noticed that too." Mitsuba agreed while she began to think. "Don't they… do that whenever they're turned on by something—" Then her eyes slowly glanced down on Yuuichirou who was facing the window with a bored expression. "—or someone…?"

… _No way! Those people got aroused just by seeing Yuu?! He doesn't even look that great!_

The blond beta sputtered upon realizing this and she gave a look to Shihou that clearly screamed 'what-the-fuck' all over. The alpha simply shrugged and nodded that, yes, this was a complete 'what-the-fuck' situation because Yuuichirou wasn't an alpha or an omega. He was a beta, a person who didn't have the ability to attract people, so why the hell were people turned on just by seeing him?

"Maybe… it really is their first time seeing him and they were just amazed…?"

Yuuichirou snorted at Shihou's suggestion as he opened up the briefcase containing the documents that he was reading during their trip. "Whatever floats your boat for the both of you... While you're wondering about that, I'm going to read, so please don't disturb."

"Ah, sure, Yuu…" Mitsuba approved with a smile. "Oh, do you want to have something to eat?"

"Nah, I'm good. Thank you, Mitsuba." The raven beta kindly declined and he began to read, making a stern face in the process.

 _Damn it… I really hope this meeting ends as soon as possible. Just knowing that mating season is near gives me a bad feeling…_

* * *

Hiya~! It's been a long time since I last used that I became sort of a newbie all over again with the site, but I'll get along! :P

So, uhm, this is a story that I originally posted in AO3, but since my sister has this account, I asked permission if I could use it instead. And thus, you have this~ This is my first work that isn't dedicated to someone, and well... I want to spread the Yaoi love~! So, please enjoy the story and leave a review to tell me your thoughts.


	2. Bonjour, Monsieur!

**Chapter 2: Bonjour, Monsieur!**

As what Shihou had predicted, the plane arrived in France within twelve hours; meaning that by the time they arrived there, it was already eight in the evening. Unlike the planes that usual arrive in the common portion of the airport, the Ichinose private plane landed in a more secluded area where there were less people around; something which Yuuichirou was very grateful for because he didn't want to repeat the _very_ disturbing event that happened during his departure from Japan. The simple memory gave him goosebumps all over.

"Are you alright, Yuu? Do you need water?" Shihou asked when he saw how unsettled Yuuichirou was, even if the other looked so calm and collected before.

"No, I'm fine… I'm just remembering what happened when I left Japan…"

"Seriously? At a time like this?" The alpha frowned at the beta in slight disappointment. "Yuu, we're here in France, and pretty far from the others. Shouldn't you feel relieved?"

"I am, Kimizuki. You have no idea how glad I am to know that we aren't getting off in—" Yuuichirou pointed where majority of the arrival airplanes were. "—there. I might risk getting mauled or killed…"

"You do know that Mitsuba and I got your back, right? Both of us swore to protect you with our lives when Guren-san chose us as your personal bodyguards, so there is a very slim chance for you to be hit by a person or a bullet." Shihou reassured with an air of confidence as he held his head up high. "We were trained to do so, after all."

"Hmm… Then, what if the both of you got distracted and are far away at some point and I'm left alone to fend for myself, what would you do?" The beta countered with a growing smirk, eyeing the alpha with a mysterious twinkle. "Would you come to my rescue right away?"

"Of course, Yuu. It is also a part of our pledges to not only protect you, but also to see to it that you are safe and unharmed. Mitsuba and I were already aware of this before we joined the secret service."

"I see…" Yuuichirou smiled quietly before getting up from his seat. "But… If worse comes to worst, I have a lot of techniques behind my sleeves enough to defend myself. Don't underestimate me just because I'm the Prime Minister's son."

Shihou gave the raven a challenging grin upon hearing the familiar tone of egoism in his words, and he too stood up from his seat as he looked down on Yuuichirou with his arms crossed on his chest. "I would never doubt you about that, Yuu. You showed it to me loud and clear."

The beta did the same position while looking up to the alpha daringly as he promised. "And I'll always do for as long as I live."

They stared at each other for a long while until Mitsuba came in with a luggage at hand, staring indifferently at the two men. "Hey, if you two are done releasing sexual tensions, we have our ride to catch."

"This is not sexual tensions, Mitsuba!" They protested with a bright blush on their cheeks.

"Pfft, whatever." The blond snorted at their reaction. "Either way, we have to leave. You still have to attend the welcoming world party, after all, Yuu. And you better prepare your best suit for it."

* * *

" _Bonsoir, Monsieur Ichinose_ (Good evening, Sir Ichinose). I hope you had a nice flight coming here all the way to Japan." Yuuichirou blinked in awe when a man in a fine suit greeted him in French and spoke to him in Japanese fluently. He rarely heard a person speaking in two different languages so smoothly and he couldn't help the fact that his eyes began to scan him like he was seeing an alien for the very first time. The man chuckled at his reaction before he reached behind him to open the door of the limousine prepared for the raven. "You do not have to worry, _monsieur_. I'll be your chauffeur as well as your translator for the entire duration of the world meeting. I'm trained to understand both the French and Japanese languages to make it easy for you."

"Oh…! Uh, yes! S-Sorry for my rudeness…" The raven blushed red in embarrassment at his impoliteness.

"That's alright, _monsieur_. I was informed personally by _Monsieur Guren_ that his son will be taking his place in the meeting, so it is understandable why you had such a reaction since this is your first time out of your own country."

"Y-Yeah…"

"Anyway, _monsieur_ , please get in. The welcoming world party starts at nine o'clock sharp." The chauffeur reminded courteously with a kind smile. "Since you are new here, it is best that you make a good first impression to the other representatives that are attending."

"R-Right…! Thank you." Yuuichirou agreed instantly with his face still painted with a blush as he tentatively entered the limousine, managing to get a small whiff of the chauffeur before seating himself inside the red, fuzzy seats of the car. _This guy is an alpha_. He realized and his instincts were immediately set on guard as he hugged himself protectively.

Mitsuba noticed the way Yuuichirou was acting when she entered right after him, and she gave him a pat on his shoulder as she leaned close to whisper. "Yuu, is there something wrong? You're doing that thing again when you met Shihou for the first time…"

"I-It's nothing, Mitsuba…" He lied as he averted his eyes away to avoid the blond's look of concern. "I'm… just wondering what kind of people will I meet in the welcoming party…"

"Oh, you'll be fine, Yuu." She reassured. "Since they're political leaders in their own respective countries, they would obviously talk about politics as well as statistics of their homeland. This is also the perfect opportunity to boast and to convince them for economical trading and imports."

Yuuichirou blinked in surprise. "R-Really? I could still persuade them in this time and age?"

"Well, Guren-san managed to convince the Prime Minister of Russia to open its ports for trading and jobs in the last welcoming world party…"

"That was five years ago, Mitsuba."

"Still, that doesn't change the fact that your dad caught the interest of the Russian Prime Minister." The blond send the beta beside her goading grin. "Do you think that you could do the same as well?"

The raven returned her grin. "Heh, you'll never know until I'm there myself."

"Hmhm… You will be there, alright, and I can't wait to see what kind of intelligent conversation you'll be forced to be a part of with a bunch of old geezers."

Yuuichirou clicked his tongue at the statement before he gave her an arrogant smirk mirroring Guren's. "Well, at least I'm going to have a blast by talking to other people while both you and Kimizuki will have to stand around to make sure that somebody doesn't make a move on me, right?"

This time, Mitsuba was the one who clicked her tongue and she turned her head away with a scoff while the raven beta mentally chalked up a victory.

Shihou, on the other hand, sighed tiredly as he buckled the seatbelt in the passenger seat and ignored his other two companions. The chauffeur was giggling the entire time while he started the car engine. "What a rowdy crowd we have here tonight…"

"Oh, you don't say?"

* * *

Sparkling... Everything was sparkling in Yuuichirou's eyes as the twin heavy glass doors open wide for him to enter in the lobby of Le Bristol Paris, a five star hotel his father reserved for his entire stay in France. He gapped in admiration when he saw the bright, crystal chandeliers hanging on the ceiling and the large comfy velvet chairs for visitors to sit on; yet what really caught his eye was the elegantly designed twin marble stairs that were draped with red carpets but still managed to glow under the lights to show off how polished they were. It was like he was invited in a grand mansion than a five star hotel.

 _It's so fucking shiny…!_

" _Bonsoir, mademoiselle. Je suis ici pour le check-in pour Monsieur Ichinose._ (Good evening, Miss. I'm here to check-in for Sir Ichinose.)" Yuuichirou's chauffeur asked to the lady by the counter while Yuuichirou continued to daze around the shimmering and glamorous interior with wide eyes.

" _Oh, oui. Voici._ (Oh, yes. Here you go.)" The lady said as she gave the chauffeur Yuuichirou's room key with a bright smile. " _Profitez de votre séjour, monsieur._ (I hope you'll enjoy your stay, Sir.)"

" _Merci beaucoup, mademoiselle._ (Thank you very much, Miss.)" He said as he gave her a flirty wink that swiftly made her blush and swoon at the attention.

Mitsuba blinked at the shameless display and she turned to Shihou with her face mixed with wonder and confusion. "Were French people always this flirty, Kimizuki?"

"No, not really…" Shihou replied as he pushed up his eyeglasses. "When it comes to flirting, no one could beat the Italians at it. That makes the French as the second most flirtatious people in the world."

"Is… Is that right?" The blond scratched her head a bit at the information before a realization dawned on her, and she sneaked him a puzzled look. "Wait… How did you know about these things, Kimizuki?"

 _Shit… Was it that obvious?_

"… I study, Mitsuba."

"That doesn't sound like studying to me." The alpha froze when he caught the suspicion in Mitsuba's tone of voice. "Don't tell me… Are trying to learn how to flirt?"

 _How did she—?!_

"N-No…!" He denied, but his face sported a blush now. "I'm not interested of the sort!"

"Hah! Don't give me that, Kimizuki! It's written all over your face!" Mitsuba pointed out with an accusing finger as she started to laugh. "You're trying to learn how to flirt for Yoichi, aren't you?!"

"No!"

"Yes!

"No!"

"YES!"

"Damn it, Mitsuba, NO!"

"—Hey! How long are you two going to yell at each other in the lobby? You're attracting attention!" Yuuichirou called at them by the elevator with a frown. "Hurry up! I still have to prepare myself for the party, you know! Time is precious!"

"Yes, sir!" Shihou and Mitsuba replied back stiffly as they stood up in full attention and followed their master to his room.

* * *

"Hmm… Hmm…" The raven hummed as he checked his appearance in a full body sized mirror. His hair was combed back similar to Guren's whenever he would hold a formal discussion, and he donned the white tuxedo Yoichi packed for him with the small note 'Welcoming Party' on it. The suit was comfortable, yes, but it was kind of hot inside with all the layers he had to wear for it and he groaned in irritation. "Damn it… I'm taking this off after that shitty party."

As he was mumbling to himself, a knock came by his door that signified that both Mitsuba and Shihou were dressed up and good to go. The feminine voice that came after the knock most definitely belonged to Mitsuba since majority of the occupants were men. "Are you done, Yuu? We're ready when you are."

"Uh, yeah… Just a sec…" Yuuichirou looked at himself one last time before he hummed in approval. _I'm going to meet so many people tonight… What will they be like?_ He wondered as he opened the door to reveal Mitsuba with her hair designed similar to that of her sister's as she wore a tight black gown with matching heels and light makeup to look presentable. His eyes widened and he immediately blushed at the sight.

 _Woah…_

Mitsuba blinked before her own cheeks blushed as well when she noticed that Yuuichirou was staring at her. "Uh, Yuu… You look great. Absolutely dashing…" She complimented as a way for him to stop looking at her.

"Ah… Y-You too, Mitsuba." The raven beta returned the compliment with a soft smile. "You look beautiful."

The simple praise made the blond beta blush really red and she even let out a squeal. Shihou, who was dressed in a black tuxedo, quickly went beside her to place a hand around her mouth to muffle the loud, high pitched screech. "Mitsuba, you'll disturb the other guests in the hotel if you keep this up."

"I can't help it! This is…!" Mitsuba protested as she removed the hand occupying her mouth. "It's not like Yuu to say nice words at all! Kimizuki, there's something wrong with him!"

 _What the fuck?! Really, Mitsuba?! Really?!_

Yuuichirou's smile instantly transformed into a scowl after he heard that and he yelled his own protest against hers, feeling completely insulted. "Hey…! I can say nice words when I want to, you know!"

"But not with a smile…!"

"Tch!"

"Jeez, enough, you two." Shihou interrupted as he crossed his arms with an annoyed glare. "You're all acting like little children here. In case, the two didn't know, we have an event to go to right now. Remember that good first impressions are a must in this kind of things since this is your first time attending this, Yuu."

"R-Right… Sorry…"

"Haah, seriously… If the both of you are going to settle this matter, do it after the party." The alpha suggested as he grabbed the room keys and a loaded Glock 19 pistol by the table. He paused by the doorway and gave the blond beta a knowing sideway glance. "Mitsuba, don't forget your M1911 pistols as well as the suppressors and the laser sights."

Mitsuba nodded as she smiled proudly and she gave him a thumb up to confirm it. "Hm, don't worry! I got it all prepared, Kimizuki."

"… Good." Shihou made a clicking sound that locked the loaded pistol before he hid it inside his blazer as he unlocked the door invitingly for the both of them with an expectant gleam in his eyes. "Well then, shall we?"

Yuuichirou stared for a while before gulping nervously as his heart began to beat in a mix of anticipation and anxiety. _This is it… This is really it… My first world meeting…!_ He inhaled a huge amount of breath to calm himself down before lifting his head up with renewed determination as he walked out of his room followed by his two bodyguards.

 _I can do this…!_

* * *

The moon glowed brightly on the evening sky as a man silently crouched on the ground with a black sniper rifle ready on standby beside him. He whistled out a random tune as he scanned at the people with a set of binoculars inside a large building called Le Bourget, which was the official venue for the welcoming party as well as the world meeting from the intel that he received not too long ago. The air was quite chilly for his skin since it was spring season, but the man didn't bother to move an inch as he concentrated quietly before a radio static came up that made him lose focus for a while.

"Lacus, do you hear me? Are you in position?"

 _Oh, it's just him._

"Yes, I'm in position, Rene…" Lacus replied through a small walkie-talkie as he continued to search through with the binoculars as the wind blew through him and swayed a few strands of his purple hair on his face. "What about you? Are you in position as well?"

"Not quite. Ferid's gotten me in a rather tight spot here." Rene complained, sounding frustrated. If Lacus could hear harder, he could make out the sound of rustling fabric at the other end. "It's not easy to move along with the crowd, you know… And I have to wear a tacky suit and style my hair to do it. It took me days to style it the way I want it…"

Lacus hummed in disinterest as his eyes searched through the people attending the welcoming world party, looking for one specific target. "That's kind of simple since you look like the normal one among us, and besides… you're a lot closer to the target compared to me. Come on, I have to set my equipment here in a hospital to do my job and that makes it quite easy for me to get caught by the police, you know…"

"Well, it's your fault that you have such good aiming skills. You get to handle the big gun."

"Oh, please…" Lacus rolled his eyes in sarcasm. "You call a sniper rifle with an AAC suppressor a big gun? If you are talking about a big gun, it should be a rocket-propelled grenade launcher."

 _Oh, yeah… I like the sound of that._

The alpha grinned at the thought before Rene decided to burst his bubble with a haughty tone. "Lacus… That isn't suitable for this kind of mission. Do you want to burn the place and cause panic whilst losing our target in the process?"

"Hmm, kind of. I mean… look at all those important people all defenseless and ignorant of what is going on around them as they gorge themselves in indulgences and all of the world's riches…" The purple haired alpha enumerated in an amusing tone as he saw the Prince of England along with his wife talking to the President of the United States in a window where he guessed the target would appear in the period of the party. "Look at them. They are technically begging to be assassinated. Just seeing them disgusts me already, so the idea of burning the place down is tempting…"

"Don't do that." Rene scolded condescendingly. "As I said before, doing so might make us lose our target, and you don't want to deal with a pissed off Ferid, right?"

"Hmm… Good point." Lacus agreed with a sigh as he moved his binoculars a bit in a different direction, and then he stopped when he saw a raven man accompanied by a blond woman and a pink-haired man. His breath hitched slightly when he laid his eyes on the stunning man styled and dressed up so formally. He had never seen anyone like him before. "Is… this our target? The one wearing the Japanese flag on his blazer?"

"Hm? What is? Where?" Rene asked numerous questions, but he was ignored as Lacus quickly went into position and continued to stare at the raven in the rifle's eyepiece, tossing the binoculars carelessly somewhere.

"Black hair… Green eyes… Honey-colored skin… And the Japanese flag on his blazer…"

 _There's no mistaking it. This is our guy… Our target… The son of the Japanese Prime Minister…_

"I found you… Yuuichirou Ichinose-kun…" Lacus said gleefully as he licked his lips and aimed right at him before pulling the trigger with a silent bang.


	3. Unexpected

**Chapter 3: Unexpected**

The smell of antiseptic and other medical chemicals were pretty strong when a blond man entered a huge laboratory that was only for authorized employees of the hospital he was having his internship. He sighed tiredly as he gave a folder with his patient's medical records to a raven sitting on a lone swivel chair in the corner of the lab who was busy in applying a dosage of a mixed chemical solution to a set of different blood samples.

"Good evening, Shusaku-sensei." He greeted politely though it was muffled by the surgical mask that he wore over to his nose and mouth.

"Ah, Mikaela-kun…" The doctor acknowledged the alpha's presence and motioned a gloved hand to a vacant space where the folder could be placed. "You're going to handle the evening shift, right?"

"Yes, I am. Why?"

Shusaku clicked his tongue as he slowly shook his head in dismay. "I already told Makoto that he shouldn't let the interns handle the night shifts because you guys are still studying for your licensure examinations…"

"Oh, no. That's alright, sensei." Mikaela reassured as he smiled behind his mask. "I don't mind handling this shift. I only have a few subjects to study, after all…"

"Mikaela-kun, I know that you're an intelligent person based on your high-quality academic standing, but you shouldn't take your schooling too lightly. The licensure examination for doctors is a pretty tough nut to crack that it literally baffles you on the very first question your eyes will lay upon on."

The blond alpha chuckled at the colorful way the omega doctor vented his experience during his time in the examinations in a nutshell. "Oh, sensei… It can't be that bad, can it?"

"Well, that was during my time when I was around your age. I'm not sure about the generation now." Shusaku explained further while waving a hand. "The passing rate is getting higher and higher as years continued to pass by that it's getting harder for graduates to pass it and find a decent job…"

"Then, sensei… What was the passing rate in your time?"

"It was around seventy, I guess…" He trailed off, reminiscing. "It's pretty low, and I remembered that there were a lot of us who passed at that day. Man… We were so happy that we downed ourselves in a large all-you-can-eat dinner buffet and sweet champagne to celebrate our success…"

Mikaela smiled when he heard the resonating fondness in Shusaku's voice. _It must be a very nice memory for Sensei…_

As they were having a peaceful moment, the door of the laboratory suddenly opened for a while before it was closed again, indicating that someone came in the room and the voice that followed after belonged to a person they were both familiar of. "Hey, Shusaku, dear! Are you done yet? We still have our dinner date to—"

"Good evening, Makoto-sensei." Mikaela greeted cheerfully with a hand wave, looking all innocent like he didn't just heard the alpha doctor say the terms 'dear' and 'dinner date' out loud.

Makoto gasped and blush a bright red when he realized that his mate (and husband) wasn't alone in the lab, and he quickly put on a stern face. "T-Tepes…! What are you doing here?! You have an evening shift tonight!"

"I'm reporting to my superior, Sir. Is it not what we, interns, do after our jobs are done in a specific time?"

"Well, yeah, but… shouldn't you be somewhere else that is… not here?" The brunette alpha emphasized with matching hand movements and facial expressions that made Mikaela want to laugh at how silly and comical it was.

 _Makoto-sensei is clearly embarrassed that someone heard him say those things._

"Why, yes, Makoto-sensei. I was just about to leave…" The blond replied while nodding with mirth as he turned back to give his farewell to Shusaku who acknowledged it with a smile as well. "Have fun in your dinner date, Shusaku-sensei."

"Thank you very much, Mikaela-kun."

"Wha—?! Tepes—!" Makoto shrieked as Mikaela left the laboratory with a playful smile on his lips while shutting the door behind him. The alpha cursed with irritation bubbling inside him. "Damn that boy. He always appears in places where I least expected him to be and making me look like a fool."

"Now, now, Makoto… Don't be like that." The omega cooed that managed to calm his alpha down in a second. "He is just an intern and you should set yourself as a good example for him since you're a doctor in the field he wants to take part of."

"But…"

"Hush… Enough of that now, my dear. I don't want such thoughts to stay in your mind while we're having our dinner date tonight. It makes me feel cheated at how you're thinking of someone else that is not me."

Makoto paused for a bit before smiling crookedly at the raven. "That's impossible, Shusaku. There'll be no one else but you who is on my mind."

"There shouldn't be because you love me."

"Of course I love you, silly… and I'll always do."

The two of them exchanged affectionate giggles and smiles, completely unaware of the other person listening to their conversation behind the door that separated them. Mikaela hung his head low as his back met the wall while his mind kept replaying that one, simple word that felt so foreign to him even if he knew the meaning of it.

 _Love…_

* * *

As Mikaela was organizing and checking a few more medical files of different kinds of patients on his shift, his phone vibrated and rang a specific ringtone meant for only one person—his omega mother, Krul. He stacked the documents neatly in a pile on the table before answering the call. "Hello, Mom."

"Mika…!" Krul greeted back cheerfully on the other line. "How are you, baby? How's internship there in American Hospital of Paris in France? Are you having a good time?"

"I'm fine. The internship is as good as they promised it to be." The alpha spotted a fellow intern from the corner of his eye and gestured him to take over his place as he took the call to somewhere more secluded and quiet. The intern agreed with a smile as she rushed over to where Mikaela was. "It's really a hands-on activity. Applied… Practical… It's a good experience, Mom."

"That's good to hear." His mother said, sounding pleased. "So… Anything new?"

"New? About what?"

"About your engagement with Akane, Mika. It's been… three months since the both of you started this relationship together, right? Do you have any plans to go any further?"

The blond alpha became silent for a while as he walked through the long white hallway leading to the rooftop of the hospital. "I… leave it to Akane to decide on where she wants our relationship to be. If I asked her about it, I might sound a bit demanding and rushed…"

 _In truth, I don't actually feel any more than a big brother to her._

"Is that so? Wow. You've really grown into a fine gentleman, Mika." Krul praised. "I'm so proud of you."

"Well, I was raised properly by you, Mom. It should be me who should be thanking you for making me what I've become." Mikaela countered back with a smile as he finally reached the place where he wanted to be, and took a hold of the metallic doorknob leading to the rooftop. "You did your very best to nurture me without dad. This made me want to return everything back to you for all the things that you've done for me even if I was a burden in your career."

"Oh, honey… You were never a burden to me. I never thought of you as one. You're the most precious thing that ever happened to me."

A smile formed on Mikaela's face as he entered the rooftop and inhaled the crisp air of a lovely spring night deeply, contently. It simply felt so freeing to do so while hearing his mother's sweet words being spoken into his ear at the same time. "… Thanks, Mom. I'm… really happy to have you."

"Me too, Mika." Krul replied back with a ringing smile in her voice before she gasped softly. "Oh… I have to get going. Take care there, alright? And don't forget to call me whenever you have the chance."

"I will."

His mother hummed in approval before she said her goodbyes. "Goodbye, dear. I love you."

"Goodbye, Mom. I love you too."

The blond hanged up on his phone as he stared at its screen for a bit before keeping it in his pockets and looking up at the dark hue of the evening sky with stars glimmering all over. The cold breeze gently and silently blew all over him, making his golden locks brush through his skin like a caress as he gazed up at the masterpiece of the heavens. With an exhale, he began to let his mind wander about his conversation with his mother, particularly about his engagement with his childhood friend, Akane.

They knew each other ever since elementary school and became the best of friends on the long run. Then, during their presentation in middle school where Mikaela was revealed to be an alpha and Akane as an omega, Akane started to become a bit clingier to him than usual. Not that he was irritated by it, but the blond didn't really like the… odd attention she was showering him with. Even if his alpha instincts spiked him to take her because of her status, he refused to give in to something that was purely out of animalistic urges.

No, he craved for a relationship that would last until the very end; a relationship that both partners agreed to participate in mutually without doubting each other; a relationship of true love.

 _But that's impossible since alphas and omegas compel with each other by nature. I can never love a beta unless it's a last resort or if every omega out there was magically eradicated._

Mikaela sighed softly as he closed his eyes… until he heard a voice murmuring something.

"… The idea of burning the place down is tempting…"

The alpha raised a brow at the statement and snorted faintly. _Well, someone is a pyromaniac…_

He curiously followed the voice and he peeked slowly only for his blue eyes to widen when he saw a person with a sniper rifle beside him. The man seemed to be so occupied with whoever he was talking to because he didn't notice Mikaela at all even if the blond was taking cautious steps near him.

"Hmm… Good point." The blond heard him say as the sniper moved for a bit which made him freeze on his steps.

 _Did he hear me?_ Mikaela's heart began to pound in a panicked frenzy as the man stopped moving, and with a tilt of his head, he could see that he was using binoculars. _A pyromaniac with a sniper rifle and binoculars?_ He mused as the man began to talk again.

"Is… this our target? The one wearing the Japanese flag on his blazer?"

 _Target? What target?_

Blue eyes followed the direction where the binoculars were pointing at and he saw a large building not too far away from the hospital. He immediately recognized the structure as Le Bourget since he had heard that the political leaders all over the world were gathering for a world meeting in France in the news on his way to his internship in the morning.

 _Why would he…? Don't tell me…_

Mikaela stiffened in horror when the man tossed his binoculars somewhere and went into his position with the sniper rifle that was on stand-by as he muttered. "Black hair… Green eyes… Honey-colored skin… And the Japanese flag on his blazer… I found you… Yuuichirou Ichinose-kun…"

He didn't know what possessed him after listening to those random things being uttered by the man because—after hearing the trigger being pulled off—Mikaela charged at him as he screamed in a loud voice. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

* * *

They barely arrived on time with how Yuuichirou and Mitsuba were continuously bickering with each other in the ride going to their designated venue that Shihou had to smack them in the forehead in order for them to shut up. The raven pouted at the painful sting, but he knew that the alpha was just reminding them that they have to act mature and classy since majority of the attendants present weren't around Yuuichirou's age, and the thought made him anxious.

"W-What should I tell them?" He whispered to Shihou who was beside him as they casually walked through the crowd. "I… I don't know how these things work…"

"Just play it cool until someone talks to you."

"That's not helping, you damn teleph—" Yuuichirou immediately stopped talking when he felt something pierce his forearm and he stumbled a bit on Shihou who caught him right after.

"Woah, Yuu… I get that you're nervous, but you don't have to show… it…" The alpha stopped talking when his nose caught the strong smell of blood and he looked over to the beta who was starting to bleed profusely on his arm while a random lady who saw the whole scene screamed in alarm that caused an uproar to slowly happen in the once peaceful atmosphere.

Mitsuba, who was getting some drinks by the table, turned her head sharply at the source and saw Shihou carrying Yuuichirou bridal-style with a part of his tuxedo painted with blood. She immediately ran over to the both of them with agitated concern in her eyes. "Holy shit, what happened, Shihou?! How did Yuu get this wound?!"

"There's a damn sniper out there, and he somehow targeted Yuu." The alpha looked down at the beta in his arms who was writhing and groaning in pain while clutching onto his bloodied arm. "We have to get him to a hospital right away."

"I'm afraid you can't do that." Rene announced calmly as he stood in front of them wearing a business suit and a gas mask. The security guards, the blonde beta had noticed, were already knocked unconscious. "I'm not going to let you all leave until you give me the son of the Japanese Prime Minister."

"Like hell we're going to give him to you!" Mitsuba retorted as she draw two loaded and laser sighted M1911 pistols that she wield in one hand each from her purse and she aimed them right at the guy. However, her actions only caused more of the people present in the room to be troubled. "Who the hell are you?! What do you want with Yuu?!"

"Haah… How troublesome…" Rene sighed tiredly while he took a small canister from the inside of his blazer and removed the safety pin which quickly spread out a white-colored gas with a foul odor out of it. "I was saving this for the other guards that might come across me while I took Mr. Yuuichirou Ichinose, but it seems I have to use it on you instead."

"Wha—" Mitsuba's throat suddenly became too tight and her limbs were unmoving, as if someone prevented her from moving. "Para... Paralyzing gas…"

The other guests in the room gasped and began to run amok in the room, finding a way to escape while covering their noses to prevent the gas from infecting them, but they were gradually paralyzed to whatever spot they were. Shihou clicked his tongue at the realization as he used whatever strength (and nerve) that he had left to bring Yuuichirou near a window while the gas filled the room with white fog that made it difficult to see. He pulled out his Glock 19 pistol from his blazer and gave it to the beta who looked up to him in confusion through his lidded eyes. "K-Kimizuki…?"

"Yuu…" The alpha croaked as his throat slowly became constricted. "Run as far away as possible… Don't let them find you…"

"Kimizuki, what are you—"

Without saying a word, Shihou pushed Yuuichirou against the window so hard that the glass broke due to the pressure, and the beta found himself falling down while looking at the pink haired alpha with wide, green eyes that managed to tear up as he understood what his friend just did. "Kimizuki—!"

"Rats… I thought no one comes up here at this time of the day…" Lacus grumbled as he thumbed away a trail of blood that was dripping from his nose when Mikaela punched him hard on the cheek. _This kid is pretty strong…_

"I don't who you are and what you are doing here, but bringing weapons in a hospital is forbidden." The blond reminded as he took in a fighting stance. "And you were aiming for someone in the welcoming world party at the same time…"

"So? What does that have to do with you, blondie? You don't have any business with me, so get lost!"

"I can't when I knew that you hurt somebody!" Mikaela screamed back.

Lacus made an amused face as he grinned mockingly at the blond. "Oh…! So are you saying that you're a softie to anyone even to strangers?"

"If they aren't murderers, then, yes."

"Hmhm… You're an interesting one. I would like to stay and chat with you, but…" The purple-haired looked down at the entrance of Le Bourget and saw the red, humming lights of police cars that signaled his time to leave. "That's my cue to get going. See you later!"

"What?! Wait!"

Mikaela lurched forward to chase after him with a fist flying his way, but Lacus managed to side stepped it and he slapped hard against the blond's nape that forced a yelp out of him as he disappeared to the rooftop by falling on the edge with the whole sniper rifle. Blue eyes searched the spot where Lacus fell from in a frenzy, but there was nothing. It was almost like he wasn't in the hospital in the first place. He was really gone.

The blond gritted his teeth as he slammed a fist down on the hard concrete in frustration for letting a killer go away. There weren't even security cameras in the rooftop that managed to capture the footage of the asshole who assumedly killed someone by the name of Yuuichirou Ichinose. If he wasn't so prudent, this person would still be alive right now. " _… Bylad'!_ (… Fuck!)"

 _What kind of soon-to-be doctor am I when I couldn't even save one person?!_

He slammed his fist again on the concrete just to feel the pain of it; to feel the pain of his failure.

* * *

Extremely vexed on letting this sniper escape with little to no fight and for murdering someone, Mikaela decided to call it a day to let off this wrathful steam and he left the remaining hours of his shift to another fellow intern, not bothered by the consequence that Makoto might give him because of it as he changed to his casual clothes.

 _Fuck the consequences! I just let someone get murdered in front of me and I didn't do anything to stop it!_

He fumed as he chewed down on his bottom lip while approaching his black BMW parked on the sidewalk. The guilt and the self-contempt were gnawing at him as he opened his car and entered it with a huff before closing the door. He held the stirring wheel of the car before he lowered his head to make the hard plastic touch his forehead as he closed his eyes while beginning to hyperventilate. "God… Please forgive me…"

As he was depressing over what happened moments ago, he was unaware of another presence inside his car and he felt something hard and cold touch against his temple that made him freeze in place and stop breathing for a while. He immediately realized that there was a gun being pointed at his head, and he didn't know if it was unlocked or not.

 _There's someone here in my car with a gun?!_

Mikaela tried to look at the person beside him, but no such luck until it spoke in a masculine tone. "Are you the owner of this car?"

"…" The alpha blinked in surprised at the language the person was speaking and instantly recognized it as Japanese. Since he was fluent with it, it didn't take him long enough to reply to him. "Yes. This is my car."

"You understand me?" The grip on the gun stuttered a bit, but he didn't let it go in favor of being guarded.

The blond nodded. "I'm… fluent with it because of my mother's work…"

"I see… Ngh…" The guy groaned as the gun lowered significantly and Mikaela was able to grasp the person's wrist with his quick reflexes to remove the gun from his hand which startled him due to how he jerked from the contact.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my… car…"

The alpha trailed off as his blue eyes took in the sight of a raven who held the most beautiful green eyes he had never seen before.


	4. The Chase and Sleepover

**Chapter 4: The Chase and Sleepover**

Yuuichirou, to put it in simple words, was aching in pain. His shot arm was hurting, his back was hurting… even his head was hurting. He never felt like this before in a very long time, and it made him feel like shit. His legs were also about to give out with how heavy and tired he was, but he was determined to at least find a place to hide even if it was only temporary. He needed to recover himself from the events of what happened tonight. He needed to calm down and assess the chaotic situation that suddenly crashed onto him. He wouldn't forgive himself if he would get caught right now and let Shihou's sacrifice go in vain.

 _Why me? What do they want from me?_

He bit down on his bottom lip as he dragged himself on the road despite the shrill pain shooting down on his nerves because of his arm. Yuuichirou didn't know how far he ran away from the venue but it should be far enough for him to be in a peaceful boulevard where there were some cars parked on the sidewalks with no people around (which was strange in his opinion). He stumbled for a bit when the lightheadedness of blood loss got into him and he leaned on the nearest car that his uninjured arm held out of reflex.

"Damn it…" He cursed in between heavy breaths as he tried to even out his line of sight which was starting to become hazy. If he continued to walk any further, he was sure he would lose consciousness somewhere and that was something he didn't want to happen. Not after what happened in the welcoming world party.

His slowly dimmed green eyes lowered down to the door handle of the car he was leaning for support on and he shakingly took hold of the pistol he kept in his blazer to shoot it down multiple times, giving him access to the car in the process. With little strength he had left, he opened the door and sat down on the passenger seat it seemed since the steering wheel wasn't in front of him before closing it. He sighed both in relief, for finally having a small break from all that walking, and in mild frustration upon realizing that he just hijacked somebody else's car.

"Ah, fuck…" Yuuichirou swore softly at the irony that a rich man like him was stealing a car from God knows-who and he laughed hollowly. "I don't know what will happen if Guren finds out about this…" He paused. "… If I manage to get in contact with him, that is."

He huffed irritably as he looked down on himself with a look of disappointment. His once attractive white tuxedo was now torn and dirty with humid earth as well as his blood. There were also some leaves and small twigs sticking out of his attire and hair that he got from his fall and landing. He grimaced after he evaluated himself and he grasped the truth that he was the very definition of a mess.

 _So much for a good first impression…_

The beta panted as he sagged on the seat. His eyelids were gradually becoming heavy and he was about to close his eyes when he heard the car opening. His senses instantly alerted him the presence of an alpha that caused him to jerk with renewed vitality as his eyes widened in shock and his breathing stilled.

 _Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit._

Yuuichirou was frozen on his spot as he observed the person beside him who was emitting a rather strong aura that was a mix of remorse and self-hatred. A very strange combination, the beta noted, as the alpha bumped his head with the steering wheel on his hands.

" _Bozhe... Pozhaluysta, prosti menya..._ (God... Please forgive me...)" He murmured softly, sounding awfully culpable of something that Yuuichirou wasn't aware of.

… _This guy is Russian?_ The raven blinked when he recognized some of the vocabulary that the alpha just uttered as his nose caught the faintest scent of antiseptic on him. _Is he a doctor…?_ Hope began to rise inside him upon the assumption before he shook his head when another assumption got in the way. _No, no… You mustn't take any chances, Yuu. This guy could be a murderer._

Ever so quietly, he locked the gun on his hand (for security measures) and slowly inched it on the guy's temple, making him flinch on the contact. The alpha's tussled gold hair moved slightly to his side, trying to see Yuuichirou but it was pointless since his arms were in the way of his vision.

The beta decided to speak up now that his company was acknowledged, and he mustered his concentration into his voice so that he wouldn't sound as pathetic as possible. "Are you the owner of this car?"

The guy was silent and motionless like it was contemplating on his words and Yuuichirou grounded his teeth at his mistake of speaking to the guy in his native tongue when he just understood that the alpha was Russian not a moment ago.

 _Fuck… Way to go, Yuu. You're bleeding and yet you're confusing a foreigner here with your language._

He was about to say an apology in English but the alpha beat him to it by answering his question in Japanese. "Yes. This is my car."

… _What?_

"You understand me?" Yuuichirou blurted out automatically and his hold on the gun relaxed at the elated feeling that there was someone who knew what he was saying… but then, he returned back to standing his ground as the thought of the guy being a possible murderer came in mind.

 _Calm down… Don't get your hopes up…_

The alpha nodded in his position as he spoke. "I'm… fluent with it because of my mother's work…"

"I see…" The raven wanted to sigh in relief, however, it was instead replaced with a pained groan when his arm throbbed and the gun lowered too much enough for the alpha to grab his wrist.

He jumped upon the contact and the weapon he had fell down from his grip as he was greeted with the sight of a very handsome male.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my… car…"

The blond trailed off as he stared at Yuuichirou, his blue eyes taking on his form as his pale skin touched his. The beta unknowingly returned his stare as he felt captivated by the alpha's beautiful features.

 _Oh… my…_

* * *

Mikaela couldn't believe it when his eyes laid on—possibly—the prettiest shade of green he wasn't aware of. His ebony hair and his honey-colored skin matched perfectly with it along with his… messed up tuxedo?

 _What…?_

He gasped when he picked up the hefty scent of blood all over the raven and he immediately checked where the source was coming from, forgetting the fact that he was using a bit of force right there in order to find it. His eyes widened when he saw a bullet wound on his forearm and he tore the fabric to get a closer look, but the raven was squirming from the sudden assessment.

"H-Hey…! What do you think you're doing?!"

"You're wounded and losing blood pretty badly…" Mikaela said in a rush as he analyzed the injury and bit a wince at how deep it was. "Where did you get this?"

"I…" The raven paused for a bit. "I was shot… by a sniper…"

When he heard that, the alpha stopped what he was doing and looked at the person with an abrupt understanding dawning on him as he remembered the things the sniper murmured while he was on the rooftop. The very person before him fitted the description completely.

 _How come I didn't notice before?_

"Are you… Yuuichirou Ichinose?"

The raven's eyes widened at the question before he nodded slowly, confirming his identity to Mikaela. "Yes, I am…"

"Y-You are…?" Mikaela was feeling very happy and relieved at the same time that he could've sworn his eyes stung from unshed tears. "I'm glad… ! You're safe!"

Yuuichirou was taken aback at what the alpha said and he snatched his arm away from him cautiously. "Why are you saying that you're glad that I'm safe? I don't even know you."

"Ah…" Blue eyes blinked for a moment before he blushed at his display of insolence. "P-Pardon me, Ichinose-san... It's just… I happen to see the sniper who shot you, and I thought you—"

"Really?! Who was it?! Give me the bastard's name!" The raven demanded as he gave Mikaela a fierce look despite his wound.

"I'm sorry…" The blond apologized with a guilty expression. "I don't know who it was…"

Yuuichirou widened his eyes as he looked at Mikaela in silence before he lowered his head, his hair covering his eyes and Mikaela wanted nothing more than to see those lovely green again.

"… What's your name?"

The alpha blinked. "… Mikaela. Mikaela Tepes."

"Tepes…" The beta repeated, still keeping his head low. "Could you… drive me to Luxembourg, please?"

"Luxembourg? You should be in a hospital, Ichinose-san! Your wound is…"

"I can't…" Yuuichirou rejected as he slowly hunched a bit while fisting his slacks. "If the sniper who was after me knows that I'm in a hospital, he would just kill me off… And I have no plans on dying so early in my life."

Mikaela watched the raven's form quivering as worry overcame him. He didn't know how long Yuuichirou dealt with his bleeding arm ever since he was shot, and with the amount of blood he was losing, he knew his consciousness wouldn't last. The hospital he was in was just a few meters away, but the chances of the sniper still being around the area were huge.

And yet… The road going to Luxembourg was pretty long and it took approximately three hours to get there by car.

 _Will he still be conscious by the time we get there?_

Yuuichirou could sense Mikaela's concern and he sighed. "… I'll be fine. Just drive, please…"

The alpha glanced at him when he said that, and for some strange reason, he just couldn't refuse his request.

"… Alright."

* * *

They drove leisurely through different kinds of roads and bridges without saying anything. Mikaela would occasionally glance at Yuuichirou as the raven idly looked out of the window with no care, what so ever. He wanted to strike up a conversation with him for a while now, but the initiative to do so eventually died down in his throat every time he would open his mouth and that frustrated him. The alpha never felt this… restricted before, and it surprised him that he was having this much difficulty in talking to only one person.

 _Well… It's not every day that a citizen like me gets to talk freely to someone involved in politics…_

He pursed his lips as he glanced at Yuuichirou again, but this time, Yuuichirou was looking at him and he averted his eyes quickly with a light blush on his cheeks when he was caught.

"… Do you want to talk to me about something, Tepes?" The raven asked with his green eyes burning a hole on Mikaela's head. He had been noticing the glances the alpha would give him along with his aura that was screaming out his curiosity for the beta. It was making him feel awkward and self-conscious all over.

"N-No, Ichinose-san…! I'm fine!"

 _Bullshit… You're obviously not._

"Don't lie when you're stealing looks from me."

If possible, Mikaela's face blush a brighter shade of red and he hung his head low in shame. "I-I'm sorry…"

Yuuichirou snorted in amusement at his reaction. "Don't be. It's alright. Ask me anything."

"R-Really?"

"Sure."

 _Seriously?! Fuck! What should I say?!_

The alpha's mind was roaming in different kinds of things, but his mouth got the better him and he blurted out without thinking. "… Why do you want to go to Luxembourg?"

… _Crap._

The beta paused at the question before answering in a flat tone. "My father, he… built a rest house there when he visited here a long time ago."

"He did? Is that why you want to go here at this time?"

"… No." Yuuichirou shifted in his seat a bit, feeling slightly uncomfortable for sharing something about his personal life. "It's more of… for calming myself down and for analyzing this complicated shit I got myself into."

"Does that include your…"

"Yes, that also includes patching my arm up." He completed the blond's sentence smoothly as his fingers absentmindedly played with the locked gun on his lap. "As I said before, I don't plan on dying right now. I have to stay strong until I find out who was behind this, and I'll see to it that they get what they deserve for daring to snipe me on such an important day."

Mikaela felt cold when he heard Yuuichirou's dark tone of voice and felt his aura. For a beta, he was giving off a rather strong threatening atmosphere on par with that of an alpha. This was a first for him. He had never heard of betas emitting such things since they were not as powerful as alphas due to their middle-class positions in society.

From what he knew, they were mild and ordinary; flat out boring for Mikaela's taste. They weren't as iron-willed or menacing as the raven on his passenger seat, and it made him all the more fascinated about him. He began to have this urge to question him and to examine him in a lot of ways possible. The tingling curiosity was crawling into his very core.

"I-Ichinose-san… Are you really sure that you're a beta?"

Yuuichirou raised a brow at the question, feeling a bit vigilant of the alpha. "Yes… Why?"

"Because you don't act like—"

A loud blow was heard followed by the sound of shattering glass that startled the both of them. Mikaela checked his rear view mirror to see that the window behind his car was cracked and broken with the shape of a medium sized circle on it. It seemed that someone shot his car.

 _The hell…?_

He checked the side mirror on his part, only to see a white Mercedes tailing them in incredible speed with a guy wielding a pump shotgun that was aiming right at them. His eyes widened in alarm as adrenaline rushed through his veins when he realized that they were being chased. The guy on the white Mercedes pulled the trigger again, and shot on an area of the metallic covering that was dangerously close to a tire.

If the next shot did hit the tire, it would be the end of them both and the alpha didn't want to risk it.

"Shit—!" Mikaela cussed as he quickly changed gears and stepped on the foot pedals that instantly boosted the speed meter, and making them accelerate to gain a large gap from their pursuer.

The beta was shrieking at the sudden increase of speed and he looked over to the alpha in panic. "W-Wait, Tepes…! Do you even know what you're doing?!"

"No, I don't! But I know for sure that I don't want to die either!" He cried out as he stirred the steering wheel to change directions and took a turn.

His black BMW was a gift from his mother that specialized in speed to help him arrive in his internship on time, but he wasn't aware of how _fast_ his car really was until now with a white Mercedes tailing up on his ass. He would have to save his reaction about his latest discovery for later in a far _safer_ place than the road without somebody after him.

Mikaela increased the speed a bit further as his eyes concentrated fully on the road ahead of him, trying to remain calm as much as possible while going to their designated place. Yuuichirou, on the other hand, was stuck on his seat as the pressure of the intensifying velocity forced his body to cling on the chair.

 _Holy shit, this is awesome but dangerous! What if we get into an accident?!_

He glanced at the alpha who was way too focused on his driving as they go on different roads and alleyways in order to flee from their pursuer. He wanted to help him since he was the one who brought them into this mess, but he didn't know how. They were currently on the road of a country he wasn't born and raised in, so helping Mikaela was entirely pointless.

But he should at least try.

"Go right!"

"That's not where Luxembourg is, Ichinose-san!"

"Then, go left!"

"That isn't either!"

"Then just keep driving!"

"You think?!"

They both exchanged a sideward glare before blue eyes once again engrossed themselves on the road ahead. Yuuichirou was clutching on the seatbelt for dear life as Mikaela skillfully drove and avoided numerous obstacles in their way, even going as far as to ignore the red lights and some traffic enforcers in their night shift. He couldn't afford to slow down for a bit even if the enforcer was blowing the whistle in its loudest volume for his car pull over.

 _We can't allow them to stop us when there is someone trying to kill us!_

Mikaela did a sharp turn with a force enough for Yuuichirou's face to meet the door window that muffled a scream he was about to release. The sound of it made the alpha glance at his other occupant quickly before apologizing. "Sorry! My bad…!"

"N-No need… It's alright…" The raven grunted in acknowledgement as he held his throbbing head once he got it out from the glass. _Jeez, the crazy things we do just to survive…_

Another shot was heard, and it landed on Yuuichirou's side mirror which made him jump on his seat at the scary accuracy.

 _This bastard has good aiming skills for being able to shoot down the mirror with a shotgun that has no laser sight on._

Yuuichirou cringed at the knowledge as they drove into their next obstacle in the road of a bridge. His green eyes widened at the sight of two cargo trucks in front of them and he immediately blanched at the lack of space. There was simply no way a car like Mikaela's could fit in that minimal gap between the trucks.

 _Shit!_

He shut his eyes tightly as he braced himself for the impact, but it seemed that Mikaela had other ideas. Changing gears and adjusting the speed for a bit, he moved the car the sideways continuously with frightening strength until he hit the hand break on a certain time that caused the car to tilt on two sets of wheels instead of four. The position allowed them to slip between the two trucks safely while Mikaela drove like he wasn't worried that his car might crash on the two heavy loads before them.

 _Just a bit more, then I could…_

Slowly and steadily, his black BMW managed to go all the way through and he stepped on the gas the moment his car returned back to its normal position, losing the pursuers in the process by overtaking some cars.

* * *

"Tsk! We lost them…" Lacus grumbled as he lowered the shotgun and glared up ahead of them as the two cargo trucks in their way. He made a lopsided smile at his astonishment from the stunt the black BMW made a while ago and he couldn't help the amused whistle that came out of his mouth. "But, damn… That was one hell of a driver…"

"You're more concerned of somebody else's driving skills than the consequences that we might have to face now that we lost sight of Ichinose again?"

"Oh, don't be a killjoy, Rene. Aren't you amazed that he managed to pull that off even if we were hot on their tails?" The alpha asked as he settled himself properly on his seat while closing the window. "Only a few people get to do that, you know. Maybe the driver was a racer?"

"Pfft, sure..." Rene rolled his eyes as he made a turn to a road in order to hide from the police pursuing them. "Last I heard… The leading racer at the last Grand Cup was an American, not a French guy."

"Shut up and let's just report this to Ferid so that we could come up with another plan…"

"Alright, but… you make the call." The beta said as he shoved a walkie-talkie on Lacus as he drove.

"What?! That's unfair!"

"Well, Lacus, I can't exactly drive and talk at the same time with the police coming after us." His red eyes glanced at Lacus' mortified face and he grinned. "And besides, you sounded so confident that you'll shoot them down with that shotgun without a laser sight, but it seems that—"

"Alright! Alright! I'll make the call! Just don't say… that in front of my face!" Lacus snarled as he turned on the walkie-talkie and placed it on his ear while rubbing on the bridge of his nose in irritation. "Jesus…"

Rene chalked up a victory on that one, feeling absolutely elated that he could mess with Lacus for once. The alpha was just too damn prideful and he hated it when people would point out his mistakes.

* * *

Yuuichirou sighed in relief as they finally lost their pursuer and he slumped comfortably on his seat. Mikaela was panting softly, trying to regain his composure from what happened. He couldn't believe that he actually got into a car chase and he began to dread of his mother's reaction if she were to hear of his… damaged car. He could replace the glass and the scratched metal, but not the side mirror that broke off from its place.

"What am I going to do…?" He murmured as he drove leisurely in the quiet streets of Luxembourg. His voice was quiet but Yuuichirou could pick up what he said now that he wasn't panicking. "My car is a present, yes, but it came out from her money…"

"Are you worried about your mom if she find out about this?"

Mikaela flinched in surprise, but he nodded nonetheless. "You see… This car is a present that I got from my mom when she was having… troubles in her work at the time… I promised that I'll take care of it to show how much it meant to me, but…"

"I see…" Yuuichirou hummed as he closed his eyes to think for a bit. He knew that Guren stacked up cars in the garage of the rest house, but that didn't change the fact the Mikaela's BMW held a solid sentimental value and he had no right to replace that.

 _But it's just temporary, so where's the harm in that?_

"... I could fix your vehicle, Tepes." The beta offered which caused Mikaela to snap his neck in order to look at him with wide eyes. "Although, it will take some time given with the… situation we got ourselves into, if you know what I mean…"

"That's true…"

Yuuichirou smiled. "So, for the time being… I want you to ditch this car."

"—What?!" The alpha immediately stopped his car and they both abruptly moved together by the force applied. He glared at the beta like he was mad. "I can't just do that, Ichinose-san! You know how much this car means to me!"

"I know, Tepes, but look at it this way…" The raven sat up straight and gave Mikaela a firm look. "If you, perhaps, use this car again to go back from whence you came after dropping me off, I have no doubt that our old buddy chasing us will come after you because he recognizes your car along with its brand and maybe even the plate number, depending on how good his vision is. I don't know what they'll do once they get their hands on you, but I know for damn sure that I don't want to hold the responsibility."

"But you're the reason why this happened!"

Yuuichirou felt one of his eyebrows twitch in annoyance, but he remained collected as he stood his ground before the alpha. "And that is why I'm going to offer a deal with you, so listen carefully. You ditch your car in a random place God knows-where that will, not only keep your car safe, but it will also keep you safe from those assholes who are probably looking for you right now to ask about my whereabouts."

Mikaela's frown didn't lower one bit as he took in the information and assessed the deal. "… At what price?"

"You…" The beta pointed at the alpha with his good arm and made a small grin.

The blond didn't know how many times his eyes widened from shock, but as sure as the clear skies of a bright Monday morning, they were big like dinner plates as soon as Yuuichirou said that and he felt a warm blush spread on his face. Sure, he found the beta attractive, but he didn't expect the latter to fess up so _directly_ in such a short time.

"I-I can't do that, Ichinose-san! I'm still having my—"

"I didn't even finish my sentence yet, Tepes." Yuuichirou replied instantly in a flat tone with an incredulous expression that made Mikaela blink in confusion. "I mean that… You have to stay with me for a while until I could contact my father and have those bastards arrested for what they did to me. I don't mean it as a way that I want you as my mate if that was what you had in mind."

The admission made the alpha wince a bit. He felt like he was doused by cold water when he realized his mistake. "O-Oh, I'm sorry about that, Ichinose-san…"

"It's fine. Everybody makes mistakes. There's no one perfect, after all…"

 _Would it be weird for me to say that you're perfect?_

Mikaela gasped at the thought and he shook his head to get it out. Now wasn't the time to be thinking about flirting. "So… Now what?"

"You take me… to this place." The raven mumbled as he gave the blond a piece of paper. "It's the address of my father's rest house. We'll spend the night there."

The blond nodded as he changed gears and moved the car in their designated place.

* * *

 _This place… is a rest house?!_

Mikaela gaped as he took in the sight of a building that shouted filthy rich all over the place. It wasn't like the ordinary houses that he would come across to in Paris during his time in his internship. This one looked like those houses that he would see in some magazines that his mother would stack in their reading rack.

"W-Woah…"

"And that's just the exterior…"

"W-What do you mean?"

Yuuichirou chuckled as he got out from the chair with vitality that surprised the alpha. "You'll see. Let's go."

"… Okay." The blond agreed as he drove his car for a bit to a random area near the house, turning it off once he found the perfect spot. He got out of his car and gave it a lingering look before locking it behind him that sealed his deal with the beta.

"You're awfully slow for just parking your car, Tepes."

"Quiet. I was saying my goodbyes to it."

"It will not take forever. You'll have it back with you in a jiffy once this mess got cleaned up." Yuuichirou reassured as he turned on his heels to enter the rest house. "For now… we're secretly in hiding."

Mikaela grunted. "Hn."

"Oh, come on, don't be like that. This is the first time I bring someone that is not part of my family inside the rest house. At least feel a bit happy."

"I'm not when there are people out there trying to kill us."

"Yeah, well, pessimism is for losers." The beta retorted with a shrug of his shoulder as he approached the door of the house.

"Don't say that when you have a bleeding arm."

"That will be fixed in no time." Yuuichirou beamed and the door of the rest house instantly opened up for him after he said that.

The alpha blinked. "Was that… voice recognition?"

"You betcha! Come on in!"

The raven practically ran while Mikaela followed hesitantly behind him as the door automatically locked them inside. The lights open up and blue eyes took in the extravagant interior. He tripped a bit while walking with impressed eyes and he looked down to find a crumpled, dirty blazer on his feet. He looked at the side to find a bloodied dress shirt this time, followed by a green neck tie…

 _He isn't…_

The blond jumped on his feet and trailed the clothes that led to a bathroom. If the scent of Yuuichirou's blood was strong with all those articles of clothing on him, then it was way intense now. He knocked on the door a bit urgently which was acknowledged by a hum.

"Ichinose-san, what are you doing in there?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm patching myself up."

"By yourself?!" Mikaela shrieked as he twisted the locked doorknob. "Open this door, Ichinose-san! Let me see your wound!"

"No! I'm fine! There's nothing to worry about!"

"But who is going to take the bullet out?!"

"Me, duh!"

The blond paused before screaming back. "I'm not joking!"

"I know!"

 _If he knows, then why isn't he opening up?!_

The alpha began to bang on the door loudly along with a few insistent twisting of the metal knob. "Ichinose-san, please—"

"—Hngh!" Yuuichirou cried out behind the furniture, and Mikaela stopped his actions at once as he took in the sounds. "Mngh! Ngh! Grgh…! Ah, God…! Shit!"

As the beta screamed out numerous things, the blond just stood there on the spot completely stunned that Yuuichirou was serious in doing the whole thing all by himself and it made him feel useless for even being around in the first place. His eyes shut close as his hands curled into fists beside him while he listened to the screeches and cries of the raven's pain before it died down to silence.

Mikaela slowly opened his eyes, and eventually, his ears heard the echo of something metallic hitting the ground followed by the noise of running water. He blinked. "I… Ichinose-san…?"

"… You're still there?" A raspy voice replied back in amusement like the beta didn't just undergo something extremely excruciating for a while there. "Damn, you're persistent."

"W-Well, I'm worried! I'm a medical student in intern, after all!"

"That so?" The sound of running water closed off and a click from the doorknob unlocked the door with Yuuichirou standing before the alpha without a shirt on while he held a wet towel over to his wound. "Well… I guess you could put on the gauze and the dressing if that will satisfy your concern…"

"S-Sure… Okay…" Mikaela blurted out with a nod, but he was too distracted on seeing the son of the Japanese Prime Minister revealing his beautiful honey skin and his lithe muscles at him so openly that he unconsciously gulped down on an invisible lump that was magically stuck in his throat.

Yuuichirou noticed the way Mikaela was looking at him and he flicked on his forehead hard enough to make the other yelp and step him out from his stupor. "Idiot… I'm shirtless because I have to tend to my injury, not for your viewing pleasure."

"S-Sorry…" He apologized as he passed by the beta to get the necessary things to bandage him up, silently scolding himself for his extreme impoliteness.

 _Get a grip, Mikaela! This isn't like you!_

He sighed tiredly as he got the gauze, the rolls of bandages, cottons and a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide to disinfect the wound. When he got out of the bathroom, he found Yuuichirou sitting on an island chair by the kitchen waiting patiently for him. He arranged the items on the table and took a seat across the beta, offering a hand. "Please let me see it, Ichinose-san…"

The raven tentatively gave him his injured arm and Mikaela gently pried his hand away as he slowly removed the drenched towel that was covered in blood. He grimaced when he saw it and he quickly set himself into work as he applied small dosages of hydrogen peroxide on a piece of cotton. "This will… hurt for a bit."

He lightly dabbed on the outer rim of the wound and Yuuichirou let out a hiss at the initial contact. "Yeah… No kidding…"

Mikaela grinned as he continued his work in cleaning the wound before applying the gauze once the blood flowing out wasn't as strong as the last time. He carefully began to wrap the bandage around the arm, feeling Yuuichirou's muscles tense and relax alternatively beneath his fingertips. It was only then that he noticed how soft his skin was.

 _So delicate…_

Yuuichirou, on the other hand, was biting lightly on his bottom lip at how warm and lingering Mikaela's touches were on his skin and he silently prayed that the alpha would just finish wrapping his damn arm already because he was starting to feel uncomfortable. So, once Mikaela tied the bandage, he immediately got out from his seat and gathered his clothing from the floor.

"Wow, we must be tired for today, huh? Let's call it a day, Tepes!" He said in a rush as he began to walk away. "The guest room is the first door on the second floor! Have a good night!"

"W-Wait, Ichinose-san…!"

But the sound of a door being close was heard, and Mikaela knew that it was his cue to stop talking. He exhaled as he gathered the medical supplies and returned them to the bathroom. Once he closed the medicine cabinet, he looked at himself in the mirror and slowly touched his face, contemplating on the events that happened in one night which made him huff in hilarity at that one thing he realized a bit too late.

And that was his growing attraction for this raven beta.


	5. To Your Convenience

**Chapter 5: To Your Convenience**

Mikaela's eyes slowly fluttered open, and he was greeted with a white ceiling and this relaxing softness hugging his body.

 _Where…?_

He slowly sat up from the bed and his skin was instantly bitten with the cold sensation of the air conditioner in the room. He shivered as he got out of bed to adjust the air conditioner to a more suitable level, but the sound of something considerably heavy clacking caught his ears. Curious, Mikaela turned to open the door slightly, and since he was on the first room by the second floor, he could easily see what was right below through the railings.

"Tsk… I only have these?" A voice complained softly downstairs, and Mikaela opened the door wider to take a look.

He stopped once he saw a raven, fresh from shower and wearing a black sweater and loose, fitting pants, standing before the coffee table that held… _an arsenal of military guns?!_

The alpha gasped in shock once he noticed that there were a lot of guns fit for someone who was part of the police force or a spy organization. He never imagined someone like Yuuichirou to have those unless he was licensed to have those.

 _Well… he is part of the supposed-to-be world meeting. Maybe it's for self-defense?_

His blue eyes eyed the beta intriguingly when he picked up a hunting rifle to try it out. Yuuichirou changed positions numerous times to get a better angle only for the aim to land right at Mikaela by the second floor. The alpha flinched when the hunting rifle faced him and he quivered slightly out of fear at the thought of being shot in the head. He didn't know if the beta had good aiming skills like the guy that shot down his side mirror yesterday, but being aimed at with a gun gave an extremely dreadful feeling in his gut.

Mikaela raised both of his hands in a surrendering pose while walking down the stairs when Yuuichirou didn't lower the gun as he greeted. "U-Uh… Good morning, Ichinose-san…"

"Morning, Tepes." The raven greeted back as he lowered the gun down, revealing his now clean and—presumably—normal look. Now that Yuuichirou wasn't in any formal gathering, his black hair was now wild and a bit messy to say the least. "You're up early. It's still five thirty, you know…"

"Yeah, well… I have duty calls and all that, so I'm used to it already."

"Ah, right… You're a medical intern… in American Hospital of Paris, right?" Yuuichirou made a small grin when Mikaela looked at him in disbelief.

"How did you…"

"It's the only hospital present within the area, so I figured you work there since…" He trailed off as a small blush started to form on his cheeks. "That's where we met… in your car… at the sidewalk…"

 _He could still take note of all those things even if he was bleeding?_

Not only did Mikaela found it amusing, but he also found it impressing that Yuuichirou could still have the capacity to notice his surroundings even when he was on the verge of fainting. Normal betas would have already lost consciousness or die on the spot with how much blood they wasted, and yet… here was Yuuichirou in front of him, alive and very much kicking.

"Wow… I'm baffled that you know that, Ichinose-san."

"Jeez… Is that something to be really impressed about? You need to take a look at your surroundings more, Tepes. You'll never know what might happen." The raven suggested straightforwardly as he placed the hunting rifle back on the table with a hefty sigh. "Alphas, seriously… They always get carried away just because they're the highest in the society…"

Mikaela didn't know if that was supposed to encourage him or insult him. The way Yuuichirou said that with a bitter tone was like he held a huge grudge against his kind to the point that he sounded slightly disgusted. How dare he? Betas should fear and revere them. In fact, they should feel honored to be in their presence because alphas only have their eyes set on omegas, so why was Yuuichirou acting like this? It made him feel angry.

Yuuichirou tilt his head for a bit when his nose caught the scent of an agitated alpha in the room and he sighed. "Calm the fuck down, Tepes. If that upsets you, you could forget what I just said. Emitting your scent won't get you anywhere."

"It's supposed to, Ichinose-san."

"What, you expect me to go on my knees and grovel for your forgiveness because you're an alpha?" The raven scoffed as he loaded a pistol on the table. "I'm not that weak. You should know that by now since last night. Usually, someone of my status wouldn't last long, but look at me. I'm right here, and I won't cower before you just because I unintentionally offended you as being careless."

The blond silently glared at him with all his might, yet Yuuichirou was unfazed by it as he continued to tend to the guns. Realizing that it wasn't working, he sighed as he combed his hair back. His threatening aura wasn't affecting him, and it made Mikaela wonder if Yuuichirou was secretly an alpha in disguise because no one could oppose an alpha unless it was another alpha. Betas and omegas would always cringe in fright whenever they would scent an enraged alpha, but the raven before him didn't show any of it, like he was practically immune to it.

 _What's his deal with alphas anyway? He sounded like he met a few in his past years…_

Mikaela wondered with a deep hum before something flicked his head that made him yelp in surprise. "Ow! Hey…!"

"You're thinking too much, Tepes. It's very early in the morning for that."

"Y-Yeah, well… it's your fault why I'm thinking too much in the first place!"

Yuuichirou grimaced. "You're thinking of me? That sounds creepy in so many ways…"

The alpha blushed in embarrassment and he waved his hands in front of him in a defensive stance. "I-It's not that way, Ichinose-san…!"

"Pfft, whatever…" The raven bent again to get the loaded pistols on the table to lock them safely before stashing them away behind his pants that inched his sweater a bit to reveal a glimpse of his naked backside.

In doing so, blue eyes began to stare owlishly at the way the beta was literally bending over on the table. He scanned his back that was curved down nicely which made his clothed ass look all the more presentable for him. Mikaela bit on his bottom lip as he turned his head away with a blush gracing on his cheeks.

 _Holy shit…! Keep it together, Mikaela! This beta is NOT an omega!_

He gulped. He never had this strong craving to mate with somebody before. Yes, he was fully aware that mating season was near, but that was a few more weeks away. Mikaela wasn't supposed to feel this urge, and yet, something about Yuuichirou made him want to just… fuck him on the table with weapons that could kill him if given the chance. The thought of it slowly began to take form in his mind unknowingly as he stood there watching him.

 _Ichinose-san will probably shout threats at me while he grips on a gun in his hand to show that he is serious in his warnings. He'll gasp and form broken sentences as I thrust into him hard enough for him to quiver every time I hit that special spot inside him. It will take time since my partner is stubborn and downright feisty, so a few deep, hard plunges will be enough for him to change his reaction. Then, in the midst of plowing my cock in his ass, he'll eventually start losing himself to the pleasure and he will begin to beg for me, to beg me for more, to beg me for release…_

"Tepes… You have a very disturbing look on your face…" Yuuichirou's real voice snapped Mikaela out of his daydream and the alpha jumped in shock at how close he was.

"O-Oh… It's nothing! Nothing…!"

 _It wasn't like I was daydreaming about taking you on the table or anything…_

"… Sure. Okay..." The raven slowly nodded his head as he began to feel wary about Mikaela since he could clearly smell the alpha's… sexual excitement.

 _Is he turned on by something? Oh, fuck, please no…_

Yuuichirou groaned as he rubbed his forehead like he had a headache. "Well… I'm going to make breakfast. Do you like anything in particular?"

"Uh, no… I-I'm fine with any actually…"

"Any…?" The beta repeated with a raised brow.

"Yes. Any."

He paused for a while before he snapped his fingers with a shit eating grin on his face. Something told the alpha that that wasn't a good sign. "Alright, Tepes… Since you said that, we're having curry!"

"C-Curry?" Mikaela blanched. "That isn't exactly breakfast food, Ichinose-san."

"But you said that you're fine with anything. You place this on yourself." Yuuichirou pointed out as he began to walk into the kitchen. "It would be painful on an alpha's pride if he takes back his word, right?"

The blond frowned as he caught the mischievous glint on those gorgeous green eyes that he adored so much last night, and he wondered if liking those eyes was a guilty pleasure for him.

* * *

"We bring you our headlines about the incident at the welcoming world party held in France last night." The female newscaster announced once Mikaela turned on the wide LCD television by the living room as he sat down on one of the island chairs in the kitchen. "Apparently, a sabotage happened so suddenly at around nine in the evening where the party should have started, and one of the most powerful representatives in the world was reported to be shot down by what seems to be a sniper. A twenty nine year old attendant told us that the said representative was wanted by a person who was wearing a gas mask. No one knows what this man wants with the son of the Japanese Prime Minister but we strongly believe that this is a kidnapping for ransom event. It was most fortunate that they didn't get their hands on him, but it is regrettable to say that he has gone missing."

A picture of Yuuichirou appeared on the television with his name below it as the newscaster continued. "If anyone of you has managed to find Yuuichirou Ichinose, please call at once in the following numbers…"

"…Damn, I look ugly on that photo." The beta muttered as he settled a plate of rice before Mikaela. "They could've chosen a better one, you know."

"Well, I think it's alright…"

"No, it's not. I got better ones, I swear." Yuuichirou countered back as he took a kitchen mitten to remove the small pot from the stove. The delicious aroma of curry instantly whiffed in the air and Mikaela's stomach instantly growled at it, making him blush a beet red. The beta hummed as he saw this and smiled teasingly. "Ooh… Hungry, Tepes?"

"S-Shut up…! Just fork it over already!"

"Alright, alright… Jeez, you get embarrassed way too easily."

"And whose fault was it?!"

The raven shrugged. "Definitely not me since I haven't done shit to humiliate you. You only have yourself to blame."

Mikaela scowled at the beta on how true his statement was as the pot was brought over with a small, heat proof padding beneath it. His eyes curiously looked over inside and he was greeted with the sight of a rich, gravy sauce with bits of potatoes, carrots and meat floating in its surface. A popular Indian cuisine refined into Asian gastronomy to accommodate the taste of the Easterners.

"What are you staring at it for? You look like you saw something sticking out in there."

"N-No, not at all. I'm just amazed that you could cook something like this, Ichinose-san." Mikaela complimented as Yuuichirou dipped a ladle in it.

"Truthfully, it is easy to cook." The beta admitted as he took a seat on an island chair. "And besides… I need to learn how to be independent. I can't exactly rely on my helpers now that I'm becoming an adult."

"I see…"

 _Ichinose-san isn't spoiled even with all that luxury, huh?_

The thought made him happy, but then, he paused.

 _Becoming an adult? What does that mean?_

"Um, Ichinose-san…?"

"Hmm?"

"I know this is rude, but… how old are you?"

Yuuichirou didn't answer for a while as he scooped curry from the pot to pour it all over his plate of rice in a copious amount. "I'm nineteen, Tepes… going twenty this year."

"Oh, so I'm a year older than you?" Mikaela blurted unexpectedly and he slapped a hand over to his mouth at the realization.

The raven blinked at the sudden statement, but he didn't dwell on it. "… Ah, well… Good to know."

The nonchalance in his voice pained the alpha and he unconsciously began to ground his teeth in annoyance as he began to help himself in a serving.

 _At least feel curious, damn it!_

Yuuichirou ate his curry silently, eyeing Mikaela from time to time when the alpha's small irritation disappeared once he got a taste of his cooking. He didn't know why the blond was being so moody in the morning.

 _Have his alpha instincts gone haywire because of mating season?_

He doubted it. If Mikaela's instincts did gone haywire, he would have shown some signs of rutting but he didn't. He also noticed hints of the blond's curiosity about his personal life which was, in his opinion, very dangerous. He promised to himself that he wouldn't let other people know his past besides his father and Shinoa. The reputation of his father depended on it and no way in hell was Yuuichirou going to reveal it out loud anyone unless he trusted the person deeply enough.

 _Speaking of dad…_

"Tepes…" Yuuichirou called out as he finished the last bite of his curry.

"… What?"

"We're going shopping."

Mikaela's eyes widened and he nearly choked on his food at the direct request. "S-Shopping?! You just got nearly killed yesterday! What if the assassins come after you again like last time?!"

"They won't…" The raven reassured as he got out from his seat to place his plate on the sink, feeling a grin creeping up on his face. "Because they're not going to recognize me…"

* * *

Mikaela always thought that wigs were strictly for women and for cancer patients, but he was wrong… _very_ wrong.

Yuuichirou stood before him while adding a coat to his outfit as he hid his black hair underneath a wavy, brown wig. He almost looked like someone else with that get up, but his eyes were sort of noticeable.

"Ichinose-san… Your eyes…"

The beta answered by putting on black shades that covered his eyes and he displayed himself proudly. "See? All covered up! Now, let's go!"

"With what exactly?" The alpha just had to bring it up since he just ditched his car. In other words, they have no means of transportation unless Yuuichirou was insane enough to suggest that the walk all the way to town. "In case, you haven't notice, we don't have a car since I just abandoned mine."

"Don't worry. I have something that you might like." Yuuichirou assured him as he ushered Mikaela to the other side of the rest house until they saw a structure that looked like a garage designed as a cave. "Here."

A key and a rectangular ornament with a small button were given to the alpha and Mikaela reluctantly pressed on the button that made the corresponding car react to it with a beep. "An auto lock device?"

"It comes with the car when my dad bought it here for security purposes… Something about losing one's keys easily."

"Sure…" Mikaela snorted as he approached the car with blinking lights. His eyes bugged out when he saw the sleek, dark blue metallic color of it and the brand at the front of it. "This… is an Audi?!"

"Uh, yeah. It has the four rings of the company after all…"

The blond face palmed himself.

 _He just doesn't get it!_

"Ichinose-san, an Audi is a very expensive buy since it's one of the famous brand of cars internationally! I, myself, couldn't afford one!"

"Well, that's going to change now. From here on out, you own this car along with the BMW that I'll fix soon." Yuuichirou wiggled his brows suggestively with a smile while the alpha's mouth hung open.

"No! No, I can't accept such! It's—"

"It's fine, Tepes. Really. We won't be staying here for long anyway." The raven walked over to the car so that he could open the door of the passenger seat. "Let's go. I need to go shopping pronto."

"O-Okay…" Mikaela nodded as he took his place on the driver's seat and started the engine. His hands idly tested the steering wheel, feeling the mix of hard plastic and leather under his palms. It felt extremely different compared to his BMW and his spine tingled at the idea of trying out the new car he just obtained.

Yuuichirou stared wordlessly at the alpha beside him who was very thrilled of the car, and he smiled involuntarily at the childish giddiness that he easily found endearing. He could have sworn he felt butterflies flutter in his stomach just by looking.

 _How strange… He's an alpha, yet for some reason… I feel safe with him._

His smile widened as he sagged comfortably on his seat as Mikaela drove out of the garage smoothly. He dully noted that the alpha immediately got everything in such a short while, but he didn't pay mind to it. Instead, he adjusted his shades for a bit when they were a few kilometers away, and an unexpected thing happened.

The rest house exploded into a chaotic combination of fire, smoke and debris with a loud roar echoing in the depths of the outskirts of France. The destroyed building shocked the blond greatly when he saw it on the rear view mirror.

"What the hell?!" Mikaela screamed as he stopped the car to look behind him.

"Don't mind. Just keep driving."

"B-But, the rest house, it's—"

A warm hand overlapped one of his own on the hand break and he instantly turned his head to look at Yuuichirou with surprised eyes.

"Don't mind." He repeated more firmly with his lips slimmed into a line. If Mikaela could concentrate more, he could see that the beta's mouth was slightly quivering. "The explosion serves as a distress call for my father… It's to let him know that I'm still alive, but in hiding. He'll understand. He always does…"

"… Oh." Mikaela nodded his head slowly as he released the hand break to drive again. He may look like he was focused on the road, but his mind was wondering on something else entirely and it bothered him.

 _Why is he shaking? Is he afraid of something?_

Beside him, Yuuichirou was grounding his teeth hard as if to scold himself for revealing that piece of information.

 _Damn it, Yuu… Don't expose any more to a person you just met recently even if you feel safe with him! He could be the very person to uncover your scandal to the media when you least expected it!_

The raven frowned as he let his eyes wander at the scenery on his door window.


	6. Smooth Sailing

**Chapter 6: Smooth Sailing**

"The reason why I let the both of you into the secret service is because I see that you have the potential to protect and defend Yuu's life at all times… and it didn't help that Yuu also trusts you two a lot enough to be in his beck and call…" Guren's condescending voice was like ice—cold and sharp—as his violet eyes look down on both Shihou and Mitsuba, in their assigned uniforms, who hung their heads low as they felt the beta's silent yet deadly ire. They both knew they were fucked up when Guren called in for them to discuss about Yuuichirou's whereabouts in France.

"M… My apologies, G-Guren-san…" Mitsuba muttered as she tried to keep her voice steady when she was shaking like a leaf while Shihou remained perfectly still in his position. "N-No words could be explained for our carelessness…"

The two bodyguards were sweating from panic at what Guren could possibly do to them for losing his son. The beta may be seen as a jerk and a heartless bastard at times, but he loved and cared deeply for Yuuichirou enough to draw blood. Because of that, Guren was teased endlessly by his alpha friend, Shinya, to be a major papa wolf to his cub, and surprisingly, he didn't deny it since it was true.

The overprotectiveness of a parent to their children, regardless of status and gender, was absolute, and unwedded people could feel the intensity of it very, _very_ clearly.

And Guren… was no exception. In fact, he was a fine example of it.

The beta was sitting in his office with his arms crossed on his chest as he stared at Yuuichirou's bodyguards with artificial nonchalance. His face was calm and his scent was faint, but his aura was roaring loudly in parental fury. It was heavy and vastly suffocating that Mitsuba was starting to become nauseous while Shihou was trying his very best not to fall on his knees from the pressure.

"When Yuu chose the two of you personally as his bodyguards, I never doubted him one bit because I fully trust in his judgment and I held high expectations because of it… but what is this, Sanguu? Kimizuki?"

Mitsuba was about to open her mouth to explain, but Shihou spoke first with tightly shut eyes. "G-Guren-san, we're really sorry for losing sight of Yuu. W-We did what is the best of our abilities—"

"—But it seems that your best wasn't good enough!" Guren screamed as he slammed both of his hands on his maple wood desk while standing up from his red, velvet chair. His expression and scent changed so much and his office was emitting the beta's powerful, agonizing wrath. If his aura alone was bad enough, then this was torture. "I may have trained Yuu to defend himself if the situation he was in is beyond both of your capacity, but that doesn't mean that you have to be reckless in your jobs! Both of you are still his bodyguards regardless if Yuu is the second strongest beta around!"

Tears prickled on the edge of Mitsuba's eyes as her senses were assaulted by Guren's overwhelming scent while Shihou felt extremely uncomfortable to be in the Prime Minister's presence that made him want to just leave the room. This was too much. Their confidence and bravery was swiftly being drained away the longer they stood there with their heads bowed low.

As Guren was about to reprimand them again, his Samsung J7 rang an upbeat tone and he hastily grabbed it on his desk. "Who would be calling at a time like this?! If it's Shinya, I swear I'm going to destroy every last shitty jam that he has in his fucking house!" He growled as he checked his phone and his eyes widened a bit. His scent and his aura immediately dissipated as he answered the call urgently, placing the phone against his ear. "Yuu?! Are you alright?!"

"I'm fine, Dad." Yuuichirou voice was soft like a whisper on the other end. "I let the rest house in Luxembourg explode just like what you told us whenever we are in danger."

"I see… Thank goodness…" Guren sighed in relief as he sat back on his chair while listening to his son's voice. "I'm glad to know that you're safe and alive. You're not in any danger, are you?"

"Well, I have a sniper and a kidnapper up my ass if that's what you're talking about. I don't know what they want with me, but as sure as hell, I don't want to find out."

"Alright. We'll be in France as soon as possible to pick you up. Hold on as much as possible and don't let those assholes find you."

Yuuichirou snorted on the phone. "Who do you think you're talking to, Dad? Of course, I won't let them find me."

"Good. I'll start making plans. Goodbye and… good luck."

"… Same."

Guren ended the call with a click and he glanced at the two numbed bodyguards in front of him for a while before calling out their names. "Sanguu, Kimizuki…"

"Y-Yes, Guren-san?" Mitsuba replied hesitantly, raising her head a bit.

"Prepare to make arrangements for search parties and transportations right away. We are getting Yuu back." The beta stood up from his chair again as he gave a firm look on the both of them. "We must hurry. I don't exactly know how long Yuu can hide himself from his captors but every minute wasted is crucial. Don't fail me again this time."

Mitsuba and Shihou stood in attention as they saluted Guren. "Yes, Sir!"

* * *

Mitsuba and Shihou split the jobs between the two of them with the blond beta making preparations for the search parties and the alpha dealing with the transportations.

Shihou was brisk walking on the hallways to go to the communications room fast, but his eyes took notice of a room that was slightly open along the way. If he remembered the landscape of the Prime Minister's estate, that room was Yuuichirou's room and no one except Guren and Shinoa could enter it freely.

 _Who could be in Yuu's room?_

He frowned as he quietly approached the door to take a small peek inside. His breath hitched when he saw Yoichi, in his butler uniform, sitting like a ball on the window sill and hugging one of Yuuichirou's cushions in his chest. It didn't take a moment for the alpha to know that the omega was in distress and lonely and it compelled Shihou to comfort him.

Without a second thought, he pushed the door wider and the sound of it made Yoichi flinch. The brunette turned his head to see Shihou standing there by the doorway with the door knob in his hand and he immediately wiped away the tears falling from his eyes. "S-Shihou…? What are you doing here?"

"I… I was going to ask the same thing."

"You don't need to know why I'm here." Yoichi sighed as he gazed down on his feet. "I'm Yuu-kun's personal servant, after all. I have a right to enter his room if I want to."

 _Ah, right… Stupid question, Shihou._

"I see…" Shihou coughed lightly before going to another subject matter. "I mean… Why are you… hugging that?"

The omega looked down at the cushion on his chest and he smiled. "I just… I'm anxious about Yuu-kun. Where is he? What is he doing right now? Is he eating right? Oh… I can't help but worry as questions like those kept on roaming in my mind." He turned his head to stare at the sky on the window beside him. "I know that Yuu-kun is a strong person both inside and outside, but there were also times where he becomes fragile… and in those times, he needs comfort. Now that Yuu-kun is in another country he doesn't know, I'm afraid of what will become of him. I… I just want him back home safely, Shihou."

Yoichi closed his eyes as he leaned back on the white concrete wall as he inhaled deeply to calm his breathing. With how erratic it sounded, Shihou could tell that Yoichi was crying for a while now and he couldn't help this urge to ease the omega's anguish.

"… Yoichi." He called out gently as he walked over at the window sill to give him a hug.

The action made Yoichi squeak in surprise, but he didn't push him away because the scent that Shihou was emitting was very soothing and pleasant; a lovely blend of midnight mimosa and sandalwood. He sighed softly as he nuzzled closer to the alpha and hugged him back as tears slowly fell from his eyes once again, not out of apprehension, but out of reassurance that everything was going to be fine.

 _We will get him back. I promise._

Shihou stroked Yoichi's brunette hair softly and rubbing circles on his back until the omega calmed down and instinctively fell asleep in his arms. The alpha couldn't help a smile forming on his cheeks as he kissed Yoichi on his forehead before picking him up in a bridal manner to let him sleep in his own room.

"Shihou…" The omega murmured tiredly as Shihou laid him on his bed.

"Hmm?"

Yoichi blushed lightly and he shyly played with his fingers. "Um, thanks… for cheering me up e-even if it was… a hug…"

Shihou could feel himself blushing at how cute the omega was, and he was finding it hard to leave him. It may not be mating season yet, but Yoichi's scent was sweetly intoxicating, given its peony and strawberry fusion. "No problem."

The brunette nodded and he grabbed a nearby pillow to hug before whispering. "And you smell nice…"

"What?"

"N-Nothing…!"

Shihou raised a brow as the blushing omega hid his face in his fort of pillows before leaving with a smile donning on his lips. "See you soon, Yoichi."

* * *

Mitsuba was holding a list while chewing down on her pen. She was reviewing the things that needed to be done and the kind of people that should be involved in the search parties to the point that she was unaware of her surroundings until someone bumped into her.

"Ah, s-sorry…" A quiet voice apologized and the beta was facing Shinoa in a cotton white dress, black stockings and brown boots.

"S-Shinoa?"

"Mii-chan!" The omega's face lightened as a huge grin appeared on her face and she jumped to hug Mitsuba. "It's been a while since I last saw you. Ah, well… I was supposed to see you before you, Kimizuki-san and Yuu left for France, but something came up."

"I-It's fine, Shinoa." Mitsuba assured as she gently pried away Shinoa's arms around her. "Anyway, what are you doing here? Don't you have family issues back in Ginza?"

Shinoa shrugged. "Well, apparently, I'm not getting involved anymore in my family affairs now that I'm sort of engaged to Yuu."

The blond beta felt one of her eyebrows twitch at the mere mention of Shinoa's engagement to Yuuichirou. The thought of these two getting married someday irritated and hurt her at the same time. She had known Shinoa longer than Yuuichirou did because of their families, making her have more rights on having Shinoa as hers. But for some reason, Shinoa firmly decided to take Yuuichirou as her fiancé in order to strengthen the Hiiragi and Ichinose family ties.

But wasn't the Sanguu family also just as powerful as the Ichinose's? Her omega sister, Aoi, was a Sanguu and she was married to the eldest alpha son of the Hiiragi's, Kureto. So why couldn't Mitsuba be with Shinoa?!

 _Is it because of my status as a beta that I couldn't do so?_

Mitsuba didn't how long she remained silent, but Shinoa was starting to become concerned for her. She didn't know why the beta became quiet all of a sudden, but she knew by instinct that something was troubling her. Gently, she tugged on the blond's arm and smiled at her. "Mii-chan, can we spare some time for tea please?"

"Huh? But I have to—"

"No buts." The omega insisted as she made the universal sign of silence. "There's something on your mind. How can you work straight if you have other things distracting you? It would be better to vent it out, right?"

 _Was I… that obvious?_

The beta bit down on her bottom lip as she nodded slowly. She was getting a bit tired sorting all these gibberish anyway. "Sure… I guess I could take a break for now."

"Alright! Let's go!" Shinoa turned around and began to march her way into the dining hall happily with Mitsuba following behind her.

Once they were in the dining hall, there was already a tea set and a box of assorted teabags as well as cupcakes on the table. Mitsuba had to stop herself from sighing out loud at how typically ready Shinoa was and her invitation of letting the beta come over was highly coincidental... or so she thought.

 _Did she invite me because I was down?_

The idea made her feel bad as she sat down on one of the chairs next to Shinoa. The lilac-haired omega smiled cheerily at her as she poured Mitsuba a cup of tea. "Here you go."

"Ah, thanks…" The beta nodded as she took the cup from Shinoa.

"So!" Shinoa began as she propped herself on the table and held her head on her hands. "What's on your mind, Mii-chan? You can tell me anything. I won't judge."

Mitsuba blushed at the sudden enthusiasm the omega was showing, and she couldn't say no to that adorable face. Call her crazy, but she found Shinoa cute even when they were still kids. The teacup touched her lips as she took in a sip of the warm tea before answering Shinoa. "I guess… Mating season?"

Shinoa's smile instantly vanished and she nervously tapped on her teacup. "Oh… Mating season… It's just around the corner, right? Since it is springtime and all…"

"S-Sorry about that. The topic must be insensitive since Yuu isn't here, and you're an omega…"

"Ah, no, that's alright, Mii-chan. The subject is bound to come up very soon." The lilac-haired omega assured the beta before she smirked. "But… if my heat ever comes, either expectedly or unexpectedly, I want you to take care of me."

The blond was speechless at what she heard, and she could've sworn her brain stopped functioning before she found her voice again. "H-Huh?! Shinoa, are you serious?!"

Shinoa nodded with a chuckle. "Why, yes, Mii-chan. You're the second closest person I have besides Yuu."

… _Only second closest?_ She shook her head at the pessimistic thought and looked more on the brighter side of it. _Come on, Mitsuba. At least she trusts you enough to be there when her heat kicks in._

"Sure. Alright." Mitsuba beamed. "Be prepared, Shinoa. I'll spoil you so much when that time comes."

"Oh! What ever am I going to do?" The omega said in a fake, dramatic voice as she placed a hand on her forehead to look like she was about to faint before laughing.

Mitsuba couldn't help laughing along with her as they spend their snack time in peace.

* * *

Once Yuuichirou's call with Guren was over, the beta threw the phone away in a random sidewalk and Mikaela hung his mouth wide in shock at the action.

"Why the hell did you do that?!" He shrieked beside Yuuichirou as he drove through the streets of Paris. "You just bought that today, you know!"

"It served its purpose, Tepes. The bastards after me might have traced us using that phone, so it's obviously advisable to get rid of it once it was used." The raven said plainly as he opened a plastic bag full of old fashion designed phones. "Besides, we have plenty more here, so I don't see why you're so shocked of me losing that one."

"I know that we have more, Ichinose-san, but it's best if you saved some of it for future use." Mikaela paused before adding more words. "And you should spend your money more wisely."

Yuuichirou jeered a bit. "I bought the things that I deem important, and that includes phones for contact use, clothes, snacks, toiletries, and… all these money left in my bank account."

Mikaela sighed tiredly while turning the car into a familiar street. He was beyond exhausted. All day, they both did nothing but go shopping and sightseeing with the alpha acting as Yuuichirou's translator and navigator since the beta had no knowledge on the French language and its country. He even had to save the raven from countless flirts and perverted alphas and betas attempting to steal Yuuichirou away from who-knows-where to the point that he began to scent him; something that displeased the raven very much, but he understood what Mikaela was doing after having an argument.

Speaking of scenting, Yuuichirou then sniffed his skin on his seat, but all he could smell was his own scent and that made him heave in relief.

 _I don't like to smell like an alpha…_

The blond noticed that the beta was sniffing himself and felt a little upset that Yuuichirou didn't like his scent. He couldn't blame him, though. He practically force scented him in their shopping trip for the sake of the beta's safety from unwanted strangers. It was the only solution to keep off unbounded alphas and betas away from someone who was considered as an easy prey.

 _Although… it would be enjoyable to see those perverts cowering in fear once they witnessed Ichinose-san's wrath._

Mikaela snickered silently at the thought.

"Hey, Tepes…" Yuuichirou called out curiously with his green eyes looking at the alpha. "Where are we going?"

"Well, Ichinose-san… Since it's late in the evening, we might as well stay in my mansion for the night." The alpha answered as he drove smoothly.

"Your… mansion?" The beta repeated slowly before snorting. "Ah, right… You're the son of the famous Russian fashion designer, Krul Tepes. Of course, you would live in a mansion."

The blond's eyes widened when Yuuichirou said that and he glanced at him in surprise. "You know my mother?"

"I think it was pretty obvious with my previous statement, Tepes. I was wondering what relations do you have with a famous fashion designer since the both of you have the same surname, but then I remembered reading an article about Krul-san's interview and how she talked about her son studying in France as a medical intern." The raven explained with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I didn't bring it up during our meeting because I didn't really see it as something important to be discussed about."

 _Ouch._

Mikaela winced before talking. "That hurts, Ichinose-san…"

"Sorry, sorry…" Yuuichirou apologized with a playful giggle. "But really, why the fuck would I talk about your mother at that time when I was bleeding? I know that you wanted to talk, but… I don't know. It seems kind of rude to talk about your personal life all of a sudden."

"That's what getting to know each other comes in."

The beta's smile reduced to a small one as he looked down on his lap before muttering softly. "What's the point of getting to know each other when I only have a limited amount of time left in here?"

"Huh? Did you say something?"

Yuuichirou was silent before he shook his head in disagreement. "… No. It's nothing, Tepes."

The alpha raised a brow in wonder as they drove into the dark streets of Paris that led to Mikaela's mansion.


	7. Goodbye For Now

**Chapter 7: Goodbye… For Now**

By the time they arrived in Mikaela's mansion, Yuuichirou was already dozing off in the passenger seat with his mouth slightly open and snoring softly. The alpha wasn't expecting the whole ride home to be this long. He sighed as he felt himself becoming drowsy while parking the car at the entrance. Slowly and gently, he nudged on the raven beta awake as he whispered. "We're here."

"H-Huh…?" Yuuichirou snorted a bit as he blinked his eyes for a while before yawning. "Haah, about time… My back and neck are starting to ache… and stiffen."

Mikaela chuckled as he turned the engine off. "Well, now that we're here, you can freely sleep in the guest room after dinner."

"… Dinner." The raven repeated before shaking his head. "No… No, it's fine. I just want to sleep, Tepes. You can have dinner without me."

"But, Ichinose-san, you're my guest for the evening. You should eat dinner."

"And I say thanks, but no thanks." Yuuichirou declined as he opened his door. "Look, I really appreciate the offer. But right now… I just want to sleep. It's been a long day for the two of us, after all."

"I see…" The alpha exhaled in disappointment, but he wouldn't deny the fact that he was sleepy as well and the option to skip dinner was very tempting.

But Mom might start nagging at me for not eating three meals a day.

He bumped his head lightly against the steering wheel and shut his eyes for the time being as Yuuichirou got out of the car with a duffle bag hanging across his good shoulder. When he noticed that the other wasn't out yet, the beta wearily looked over to the alpha who was unmoving on his seat and whined. "Tepes…! I'm so fucking tired…! Let me sleep, damn it…!"

"Alright, alright…" Mikaela replied groggily as he slowly opened his eyes before getting out of the car. He pinched the bridge of his nose to help him stay awake even if it was only for a few minutes while walking towards the door with a pace as slow as a snail that Yuuichirou began to smack his head on a nearby concrete in an onslaught of cranky impatience.

The action immediately made the alpha crank his eyes wide open in shock and exhilarating concern, and he stopped the continuous abuse by grabbing the beta on his shoulders. "Ichinose-san, that's dangerous! Stop that!"

"I would gladly stop—" Yuuichirou turned his head to give Mikaela a very worn-out glare. "—if you open the damn door already! Don't you know how fucking heavy this bag feels?!"

"Okay, I get it. Just… don't do that again, please?"

The raven groaned but he nodded nonetheless as Mikaela opened the door which instantly lightened the mansion up brightly. Yuuichirou's eyes squinted at the sudden vividness, yet he started to admire the beautiful interior decorating that reminded him so much of the hotel he was formerly staying at.

The day when I was supposed to…

He lowered his head as a scowl appeared on his face at the memory. He just couldn't believe how everything—in just one night—could be changed so drastically in the most unforeseen way. Yuuichirou bit his bottom lip in disapproval. He couldn't accept it, especially when the whole thing was entirely his fault, albeit, indirectly. The truth made him feel like a burden to all those political leaders who got involved and it wouldn't take long for Japan to have a bad image because of him.

The beta sighed in frustration and he palmed his head that was beginning to throb from thinking in its tired state. I need to know why I am being targeted… otherwise…

Mikaela looked over to his shoulder to see Yuuichirou wobbling with shaky legs and he caught him when he was about to collapse on his hard, marble floor. Maybe it was in his nature to be concerned for other people or simply out of instinct, but when he held the raven in his arms, he just... paused for a while as the strange feeling of rightness came rushing into him.

It felt like Yuuichirou truly belonged right there in his arms.

The blond blushed lightly at the thought while trying to act professional. "Are you alright, Ichinose-san?"

"'m fine. It's just a headache…" The beta slurred as he weakly pushed the alpha away. He didn't need someone like Mikaela to know his problem since they wouldn't be together forever. "Where's the guest room, Tepes?"

"Ah… It's on the left hall at the end of the corri—"

"—Thanks."

Yuuichirou sprung out from Mikaela as if the other caught fire and immediately left him blinking at the fast pace motion. The alpha did a double take before he rushed over to the raven, following behind him as the desperation of wanting to feel him again ran through his veins like adrenaline. "Ichinose-san, are you really sure that you don't want to have dinner? It seems inappropriate for me to not invite you since you're my guest…"

"I already told you that it's fine."

The blond faltered for a bit before suggesting something else. "Then, how about the dressing of your wound? I could change it, if you want."

"I can do it by myself, thank you." Yuuichirou politely declined as they inched closer and closer to the guest room, and Mikaela was getting even more restless.

"Then—"

"—Tepes…!" The alpha stopped talking and the raven turned around to face him with a frown. He was clearly displeased with Mikaela's sudden offers. He was extremely grateful for his thoughtfulness, yes, but why indulge in it when he probably wouldn't see him again? Besides, he wanted to learn how to be independent, anyway. Yuuichirou wasn't some delicate flower that would break easily.

Not this time…

The beta crossed his arms on his chest and stood straight with his green eyes shining in determination. "Look… Thank you, really, for putting up with me in this whole shitty thing and all even if you weren't supposed to, but… I would like it if you leave me alone for tonight, please?"

The (courteous) rejection was a slap to reality for Mikaela and he pursed his lips like he just said something wrong.

Was I being too hasty?

The alpha considered this for a while and he realized his mistake. They just met yesterday, meaning that the both of them were just mere acquaintances and nothing more, and Mikaela was shamelessly fantasizing about him and even attempting to pursue him as a lover in a span of twenty-four hours. Those things weren't like him at all and it shocked him.

Shit, what is this?! Have I forgotten the steps on creating a proper relationship with a person?!

He wanted to create a hole right there and bury himself in it. How could he act like this in front of the Japanese Prime Minister's son? Where were his manners?!

"I… I'm sorry, Ichinose-san." Mikaela apologized with his head hung a bit low as a guilty expression took form in his face. "I know that you're tired, but I just…"

A flick on his forehead told him to stop talking and his eyes lifted up to see Yuuichirou pouting in mild disappointment.

"Idiot, it's okay. You don't have to apologize." The raven sighed before turning his back on the alpha once again. "You're just worried for me, right?"

"Uh, yeah… I guess."

"… Good." Yuuichirou nodded his head in approval before he disappeared into the guest room and ignored the alpha's aura that obviously screamed something else entirely than his words.

 _Don't get attached, Yuu. It's not worth it._

He didn't want to admit it, but he was starting to feel something towards Mikaela. He tried acting cold and insensitive to him, but the alpha had his ways of making his heart beat strangely in his chest and it irritated him. A beta crushing on an alpha… Was that even possible?

...

He shook his head with a small smile.

 _Nah,_ _I don't see it. It's impossible. Besides… I'm going to leave him pretty soon. I might as well indulge him even for a bit for the things he done for me._

* * *

 _How is this naturally and genetically possible?! I'm lusting after a beta, for crying out loud!_

Mikaela paced around the dining room, deep in thought. After standing at the exact same spot for approximately five minutes when Yuuichirou tucked himself in the guest room, he began to use this time to think of his feelings... and his genes. The disturbing thought of the possibilities of an alpha liking a beta made his mind feel alert and the drowsiness that he was feeling hours ago was long forgotten.

How could he sleep when he was extremely bothered?

"There's no way an alpha would like a beta." He told to himself as he took a turn. "Betas aren't as beautiful and as lovely as omegas. They're so normal… mediocre, even. They are no match for alphas. Nope! Not at all!"

The alpha sighed and smiled triumphantly at what he said… until he remembered the night where he first laid his eyes on Yuuichirou and how simply breathtaking he was that it made him groan in shame as a light blush dusted his cheeks.

"Damn it..." He stopped walking and stared at the floor while he placed a hand on his chest to feel his heart.

It was beating normally, but he knew by instinct that it was different. He never felt like this whenever Akane was around and it scared him, to be honest. The idea of him loving Yuuichirou—a beta—spiked both excitement and anxiety within him. There weren't a lot of alpha-beta couples out there since betas didn't have much success rate when it came to pregnancy, not to mention that their scents were very faint and that wasn't even enough for an alpha to undergo a complete rutting cycle. That was why omegas, despite being rare, were sought after by alphas for that reason; to procreate. A something that betas rarely have unless they mate with another fellow beta…

…Or if the alpha really loves the beta, he would be willing to be patient for the other's sake until they have a child.

The thought gave him a brief pause.

 _Would I… be willing if that happens?_

Mikaela received compliments from his peers that he was a very patient man when it involved waiting. But could he, when it came to his partner being a beta and having low chances of having a child? He probably couldn't… unless he really loved his partner with all his heart, then maybe… it was possible.

He clenched a fist by his side, feeling completely indecisive. Why was he thinking all of these when he had Akane as his fiancée? It would've been easy that way, but Mikaela was a rather sentimental guy. Mating was one thing, but marriage was something completely different. He wanted his wedding to be absolutely special with his significant other, a person who he chose freely and surely in the duration of his life.

 _Is this God's way of telling me that my meeting with Ichinose-san was, perhaps, not just a coincidence?_

The alpha didn't know for sure, but what he knew tonight, was that he was falling for Yuuichirou. And fast.

* * *

The next morning, after showering and changing into clean clothes (that was made up of a white hoodie and black jeans), Mikaela thought it would be nice to at least wake Yuuichirou up for breakfast since he was technically still a guest in his mansion, even if the beta wanted some form of independence. The raven was obviously exhausted from last night that he had the guts to skip dinner and go straight to sleep. Well, not that the alpha was complaining. He was pretty tired himself that night.

So, with a sigh, he knocked generously on the door. "Ichinose-san, are you awake?"

There was no reply. Mikaela raised a brow before knocking again, a bit louder this time. "Ichinose-san?"

There was still no reply.

 _Is he still asleep?_

Curiously, Mikaela looked down to the knob and gave it a twist only to find out that it was unlocked the whole time. His face scrunched up in displeasure at the carelessness. "… He sleeps with an unlocked door?"

The blonde wondered how Yuuichirou could even get a shut eye with an open door because, to him, it was like a direct death sentence. He sighed hopelessly. He needed to knock some sense of responsibility on him one day.

Opening the door, his eyes basked in the interior, and he was struck awe at what he saw. Around the bed were soft cushions and pillows all arranged neatly and creatively to accompany the owner's need for comfort and the faintest smell of apples were around. From his view, the room looked like a... nest.

 _—An omegan nest?!_

Mikaela stood stiffly by the doorway with his eyes bugging out from its sockets. This was his first time seeing an actual nest. He wasn't allowed to when Akane was in heat because she claimed that it was embarrassing to look at, and that she wanted to master the art of designing it to suit both hers and Mikaela's taste when they were going to get down to it in the future, even if the alpha already told her that he wasn't that picky when it came to omegas and their nest.

But this… This sure looked like heaven, and hope began to fuel him at the thought of Yuuichirou being an actual omega.

"Mmn?" The blankets rose a bit, and the raven's face appeared under it, looking haphazard like a tornado just came in and messed up his hair. He yawned and rubbed his eyes with a hand. "Tepes…? What are you doing here?"

"I… I came to tell you about b-breakfast, I-Ichinose-san..." Mikaela gulped and he dared to not move any further, fearing that his presence might agitate Yuuichirou.

"Oh, is that so...? Thanks…" The raven nodded in understanding before yawning again. His eyes blinked and he noticed the way Mikaela was standing still on the door frame that it made him quirk a brow. "By the way... Why are you standing there? It's alright for you to come in."

"Huh? Are you sure? But..." Mikaela looked at all that soft fluffiness surrounding the bed and hesitated. "You might get pissed."

Yuuichirou followed his gaze, and gave a sound of realization. "Oh, ahaha! No, really. It's fine. Don't mind the mess. My skin is just sensitive and all, that's why I got all these cushions and pillows around me." The raven gave a smirk before continuing. "Why? You thought I'm secretly an omega in disguise, and that this is my nest?"

The alpha blushed in embarrassment and he face palmed himself at his stupidity.

 _Right... There's no way an omega would simply allow an alpha to enter their nest without feeling cautious even if it was their mate. The fact that Ichinose-san freely allowed me to do so proves that he isn't an omega…_

He nearly had a heart attack from what happened and he gave a half-hearted glare at Yuuichirou. "You could've told me that much so that I wouldn't have my life shortened…"

"Uh, aren't you kind of overreacting right there, Tepes?" The beta grinned toothily and his hands lifted up what seemed to be a teddy bear with black fur and a yellow ribbon on it neck. "Even the Salt King says so."

"… Salt King?"

Yuuichirou nodded as he announced with a pitched voice while wiggling the arms of the black teddy bear which animated the object. "I'm the Salt King, and I tell you, Mr. Alpha, that you are using an exaggerated form of having a heart attack with the use of figures of speech. You don't have to say it like your life is in danger."

Mikaela chuckled at the silliness the raven was doing and he leaned on the door with a smile. "Anyhow… I suggest you to get ready since I'll prepare breakfast in a few minutes. You must be hungry since you skipped dinner."

"You don't say?" The teddy bear lowered to Yuuichirou's lap and he started to unbutton his pajama shirt. He stopped for a while as he felt eyes staring at him while he undress and it made him glance at the alpha who was still on the door. He smirked again. "What, Tepes? I didn't take you as a voyeur. I've been receiving a lot of your stares lately and it's kind of distracting, I admit."

The blond jumped on his spot and he instantly turned around with his face donning a red blush. "I… I apologize. Excuse me…"

Mikaela shut the door behind and he walked away hurriedly, unaware that Yuuichirou was giggling for the first time.

* * *

Breakfast wasn't as grand as when Yuuichirou was in Japan, but the way Mikaela presented it left him speechless in astonishment. He was standing at the entrance of the dining room wearing a casual wear that consisted of an untucked, navy blue polo and denim pants with matching black sneakers as he evaluated. As he was staring, Mikaela came in with two plates at hand and Yuuichirou noticed how his hair was tied up loosely that he felt a blush creeping up at the attractive sight.

 _Wow…_

Realizing what he was doing and where his thoughts was leading to, he coughed lightly as he took a seat while trying to ignore this handsome blond that unknowingly displayed himself like a model in front of him. He wouldn't allow himself to have a short-lived relationship with a guy he just met recently even if there were already signs of attraction.

 _Ignore it! Fucking ignore it!_

"I…" Mikaela shy voice caught his ears and he risked seeing him up close as a plate was placed in front of him. "I hope that this will be to your liking, Ichinose-san. Since it's not as magnificent as the ones that you had…"

"… Are you kidding me? This looks great, Tepes. I guess the artistic side of your mother passes on to you."

The alpha blushed at the praise and he quickly straightened up. "T-Thank you…"

Yuuichirou smiled as Mikaela went across to settle himself at the other side of the table and got himself a slice of bread. He chewed at the bitten piece, contemplating on what to say because the atmosphere became too quiet for his taste.

 _Oh, yes… I have to tell him something…_

Swallowing the piece of bread, he looked over to Mikaela who was busying himself with his sunny side-up egg. "Tepes… There's something that I need to tell you."

"Hmm?"

"… I'm leaving."

The alpha stopped what he was doing and he stared at Yuuichirou with a confused look. "What? You're leaving?"

"Yes." The beta confirmed as he placed the bread on his plate. "Well, I'm not leaving France as of the moment yet. I'm just… going to leave you… for your safety."

"W-Wait… You're leaving me for my safety? But didn't you just say that your killers might be looking for me so that they'll come after you?"

Yuuichirou nodded. "Of course, but look at where we are now. We're in your house, and since you ditched your BMW like I requested you to, those bastards won't be able to find you that easily. The longer I stay with you, the riskier it gets. And you're already aware that I don't want to hold the responsibility of possibly getting you killed."

"O-Oh…" Mikaela sagged on his seat as he took a moment to process what the raven said. It was… true. The longer Yuuichirou stayed with him, it would not only put the both of them in danger, but it would also create a great amount of people to worry to the point that it might cause some worldwide news to go on in the media.

Yet, at the same time, the thought of the beta leaving him made it hard to breathe. He had somehow grown attached to him, and it didn't help that he was even developing a crush on him. But as it was, life wasn't a bed of roses, after all, and sacrifices needed to be made. With a grit of his teeth, he nodded his head slowly and acknowledged his leave, despite wanting to stop him.

"I understand, Ichinose-san…"

"… Thank you."

Yuuichirou felt a tinge of disappointment at Mikaela's defeat since alphas were too damn proud to admit such, and at the same time, it also proved that Mikaela didn't have any sort of romantic feelings for him. He must have understood where they were standing in this situation good enough to do that and he continued to eat his breakfast in silence.

* * *

"Is that everything?" The alpha asked as Yuuichirou fixed the duffle bag handle around him.

"Mm, yeah. This is everything."

Mikaela paused for a while to stare at the beta who was now prepared to go. He gulped. "Should I… call you a cab?"

"No… No, it's fine."

"Okay…"

They stopped talking as they stood before each other in awkward silence with Yuuichirou fidgeting his feet every now and then. They both wanted to say something, but for some reason, they kept their mouths shut. Pursing his lip, the beta finally sighed and turned his back on Mikaela to open the door, his hand now in the knob.

"Tepes, uh… Thank you for everything… I'm glad that I met someone like you…"

Mikaela's breath hitched in his throat and his hands clenched into fists on his sides. "Yeah… No problem…"

Yuuichirou bit on his bottom lip and he straightened his back as he pulled the door open. He needed to get out of the mansion before he started to have second thoughts. "… Goodbye."

"… _Proshchay._ (… Goodbye.)"

The beta nodded before he stepped outside and shut the door behind him, leaving Mikaela all alone in his mansion. Once he heard Yuuichirou's footsteps becoming distant, the alpha fell on his knees as he released a shaky breath that he was holding in the entire time they were saying their goodbyes. He held his mouth as his mind kept on yelling for the beta to come back in the house where everything was safe from harm… to come back to him in his arms…

 _Please… come back..._

As if hearing his plea, the doorbell of his mansion rang up and he instantaneously stood up from his spot with hope in his eyes. He ran after his door urgently to open it wide to greet and welcome Yuuichirou back despite looking totally wrecked from despair a while ago.

However… his greeting was stuck in his throat when he came face to face with someone who he met recently besides the raven beta.

"Yo~ Pleasure to meet you again, blondie. Did you miss me?"

Mikaela's eyes widened and he paled in recognition at the sight of the sniper that he encountered on top of the hospital roof right in front of him at his very doorstep. "Y-You are—"

The alpha didn't finish his sentence as something hard hit him at the back of his head bluntly, causing him to collapse on the floor and lose his consciousness.


	8. Beyond Me

**Chapter 8: Beyond Me**

"Rene, I think you hit him a bit too hard…"

"No. I didn't hear his skull cracking. I hit him just right, Lacus."

"Yeah, but he was out cold for ten minutes already."

Mikaela's ears picked up the sound of muffle voices as his eyes slowly flutter open. Blotches and lights danced in his vision as he blinked firmly to help make the images become clearer and clearer. His head felt heavy and his body restrained as he looked around him. The familiar surroundings of his mansion made him sigh in relief.

 _Good. At least, I know where I am…_

"Oh, Rene! He's awake!"

That distinguishable tenor voice that could only belonged to one person made Mikaela's blood ran cold as a hand grasped his chin to tilt his head upwards where his blue eyes met with mocking crimson ones. He knew this person because of his grin. That impious, sardonic grin plastered on the purple-haired alpha's face was the same during their initial meeting that night and Mikaela remembered it all too well for him to feel sick in his stomach.

He scowled at Lacus in disgust and bared a bit of his teeth. "What are you doing here, you murderer? I highly doubt you came here just to see me."

"Murderer, huh? Interesting choice of nickname to give to me even if the target is still alive and running." The grip on Mikaela's chin tightened as Lacus leaned close. "And from what we gathered in our findings… it seems that you, Mikaela Tepes, have come in contact with our little bunny on the loose, so I think it's pretty obvious why I'm here."

"Hmph…" The blond flicked his head away from Lacus' gaze. "If you're going to interrogate me on where he is, then he's not here. He just left with no say of where he is going."

"That right? When you put it that way, you practically admitted right there that the little bunny left you not too long ago. In other words…" Lacus' grin widened some more and he looked over to his shoulder to see Rene waiting for his orders. "Rene, our raven princess is somewhere near here. Search around the outer area to find him, will you?"

Mikaela's eyes widened in horror and he attempted to move his limbs, but found that it was tied up securely. His hands were locked on a random picture frame hook and his feet were bound at the foot of the chair he was sitting on. He threw a glare at Lacus as Rene went away to do his task in a silent agreement, shutting the door behind him which left the two alphas alone in the building.

"You know…" The purple-haired alpha began after a moment of silence. "You're pretty good looking for a kid. Your parents must have very good genes."

"Fuck off from my personal life. That's none of your business."

Lacus hummed in amusement as he removed his hold on Mikaela's chin. "For a medical intern, and a rich one at that, you sure have a foul mouth. Did your mother ever teach you that cussing is bad?"

"It's only bad when you use it the wrong way. But, now… I know I'm using it right." The blond smiled bravely, daringly at his captor before him which made the other click his tongue.

"I'm amazed that you're trying to put a tough front on when you're clearly at the disadvantage, blondie. Well, it comes to being us, alphas, after all. We have to act all gutsy and vigilant for the sake of our mates in the future since we're the powerhouse of the family. Failing to do such is a huge disgrace in our position and no alpha wants that. Don't you agree?"

Lacus' maroon eyes look down at his prisoner tauntingly with his usual grin that made Mikaela's glare harden as a lot of things roamed his mind in a rush. He didn't know if Yuuichirou was close by or not, but either way, he just hoped that he was alright and safe.

He could care less of what these people would do to him in exchange for the beta.

* * *

Rene turned his head from left to right, but he saw nothing. There was no sign of anything or anyone moving. It was completely silent. He stopped walking to scratch his head either out of confusion or annoyance as he leaned on one of the car doors of the blue Audi by the entrance of the mansion.

 _Is Lacus sure that the Ichinose brat was still around here? It looked like he left already…_

With a sigh of confirmation, he straightened up in order to report back to Lacus only for the sound of a click to be heard beside him. He paused as he glanced at the car door to see the window lowered with their little black bunny inside the Audi holding a silencer attached to a pistol that aimed right at his temple.

 _Oh, there he is. Never mind. He must've hid in the trunk and opened the backseat._

His bored maroon eyes met with fierce green ones as Yuuichirou slowly got out from the car quietly and flexibly like a cat, eventually standing before Rene with an unlocked gun on his head without batting an eye. In fact, the raven was kind of anticipating this and he gave his supposed captor a lopsided smile as he spoke in English rather fluently, even though there was a hint of his Asian accent in it.

"Hey… I remembered you in the party that time. A strange man wearing a gas mask and a tacky suit that suddenly spread paralyzing gas all around the venue… That was you, right?" Rene stayed silent as Yuuichirou continued. "Why did you want to kidnap me during that time? What do I have that made you do so?"

The indifferent beta shrugged his shoulders as he replied blatantly in English. "I'm just following what my boss wants us to do. I don't know the details myself, but apparently my boss had an… attachment for you, like he met you at some point in the past and that he wanted to steal you away."

"To steal me away?" The raven repeated and flashes of a silver-haired alpha appeared on his head in doing so, causing him to shiver. _Could it be…? Impossible… I could've sworn that leech was imprisoned for a lifetime in the pentagon. How could he…_

Yuuichirou shook his head to wave the haunting images away and he glared back at Rene. "… Who is he? Who is your boss?"

"... Why do you want to know? For background search?"

The raven ground his teeth and he hit Rene's head with the silencer. He was becoming frantic. "Tell me, damn it…! Who is your boss?!"

"… _Monsieur_ … Ferid Bathory."

Upon hearing that one, specific name, Yuuichirou aimed the gun down to Rene's left leg and pulled the trigger instantly without thinking. The shot that pierced through skin made the other beta open his mouth to let out a scream but the raven smothered his mouth with his free hand, squeezing Rene's cheeks just below the line of pain.

"Ferid Bathory, you say? I thought that poor excuse of a doctor was imprisoned for his grave crimes. How is he liberated?" The raven hissed as his anger boiled in hysterical levels within him that slowly changed his eye color from green to the faintest hints of purple.

Normally, Rene wouldn't give a damn about people and their lack of anger managements, but the beta before him was about to go into rage, given with his shift of eye color. If it became completely bright, bloody red in the next couple of seconds, then he was very, _very_ screwed. He was already told and warned to that betas weren't to be angered for they are potentially formidable enough to overtake alphas. It was proven enough in history.

 _Damn… I didn't know that the boss' name could enrage him so much. That just meant that they really met each other in the past._

"… I really don't know. I'm just one of the new recruited henchmen of his." Rene answered honestly as his heart beat quickened in his chest while swirling dark violet orbs stared at him owlishly. "Monsieur Ferid is rather secretive of his history. He only told us to obey his orders and that he'll reward us finely."

Yuuichirou snorted. "Giving orders without any reason? That's so like him… That bastard…" He sighed shakingly with a creepy grin on his face as he closed his eyes for a while before opening it again to reveal his normal green, eye color yet… the grip he had on Rene was still firm. "Tell your boss, Mister Kidnapper… to get the fuck out of my life. If I'm going to see him again, I'll make sure that everything, his skin, his bones, even his shitty ass hair, is torn and broken beyond recognition that he'll be a fucking masterpiece in the morgue. He'll never have to worry about dying beautifully because I'll be his makeup artist."

Rene—actually—reacted fearfully at the warning and he gulped as he nodded in the raven's hand. He could hardly believe how much hate and cruelty their target held for their boss. It was evident enough in his voice that dripped with intense malevolence as he said his threat with a smile. Rene was very thankful that he wasn't Ferid right now or else he might piss in his pants.

"… Good." The raven praised and he hid his gun in his coat which made the other beta sigh in relief… albeit briefly though because Yuuichirou replaced his gun with a taser and the sight of it made him tense up. "Don't worry. This will only sting for a bit… almost like a snake bite, but without the poison, of course."

Rene was about to open his mouth to protest only for Yuuichirou to taze him in a point somewhere in his body that made him convulse and roll his eyes back for a moment before he lost consciousness in the raven's arms. The beta grunted as he carefully laid Rene on the ground quietly while pocketing his taser. Once he did, he hurriedly unfastened the knocked out beta's scarf and wore it over to himself which enabled him to mask his scent even for a while before proceeding inside the mansion once again to rescue Mikaela.

 _I honestly wasn't expecting them to be really fast on their heels to find him. I know that I said that I don't want to bear the responsibility, but it's still clearly my fault that Tepes got into this mess. I have to get him out of it._

Yuuichirou inhaled deeply to compose himself as he began to sniff the blond's scent to find him.

* * *

"Ugh, I'm bored...! So bored!" Lacus whined as he checked his watch for the umpteenth time this day. "Rene is taking an awful lot just to get that small Japanese guy… What the hell happened to him?"

Mikaela didn't say anything when Lacus gave him a look that was clearly expecting him to say something to answer his question. He ignored it by shifting his head to avoid his gaze. The alpha thinned his lips in a line at the reaction.

"You're really impossible, huh? It's really difficult if you don't talk, you know."

"What if… I don't want to talk, especially to someone who is doing something that is against the law?" The blond suggested with a tinge of sarcasm in his voice. He had enough of Lacus' pointless bickering that seemed to never end even if Mikaela did or didn't respond back to any of his questions.

"Hey, what we're doing might be against the law, but the people love it. And in society now-a-days, people would do anything just to get what they want… even if it hurts other people. That's the truth in this world of hierarchy, blondie."

Mikaela sighed tiredly and he closed his eyes as he attempt to shut Lacus out. However, he heard the door of the room being opened and the smell of the softest fragrance of apples came inside which made him snap his eyes open at the familiarity, making him panic.

 _Is Ichinose-san here?! What is he doing?!_

"Hm?" Lacus tilt his head up as he smelled the new scent that he was acquainted to came to join them in the room and he smiled. "About time you came back, Rene. Did you find the brat yet?"

"… Yeah. He's right here."

The difference of voice made the purple-haired alpha whirl his head around to see who the imposter was, but the back of his head was met with a hard smack once Yuuichirou was within safe distance enough to make the hit. Lacus growled weakly at the beta as he began to lose his vision and his body wobbled at the sudden force in his spine.

"Y-You…"

He attempted to reach a hand out before falling down on the ground in front of Yuuichirou. The raven grimaced and he sidestepped from Lacus' body before quickly removing Rene's scarf from his neck like it was suffocating him and letting it drop on the alpha lying down on the floor, making the fabric cover his face.

 _What a reckless alpha… and a talkative one at that._

Yuuichirou huffed before he looked over to Mikaela who had his feet tied up on a chair and his hands tied up to a picture hook frame. The sight of the blond looking all hopeless and submissive like that made him raise a brow both in question and in piqued interest. For some odd reason, there was something attractive about the way Mikaela was all bound up that made Yuuichirou feel warm inside. He wasn't even a fan of bondage, for heaven's sake!

 _Good grief, Tepes… It's practically a sin to look that hot in situations like this._

He coughed with a blush on his cheek as he slowly approached the alpha. "Why are you… tied up like that? Does someone have a kink or something?"

Mikaela raised his upper body in a shrug. "I don't know. Maybe that guy, perhaps?"

 _Heh, I doubt it._

"Well, anyway, now that I'm here, I might as well help you out." Yuuichirou offered as he stood in front of Mikaela before dropping to his knees in order to unknot the ropes on the feet of the chair.

The alpha could feel himself blushing as he eyed the beta's head swaying and occasionally bobbing under him as the ropes become loose on one of his feet.

"Alright… Now, this one…" The raven made a confused look when he saw the way the rope was all tangled up on the other foot and he lowered his upper body to get a better view of it. "Um… This one is a bit low... It might take a while for me to unfasten it."

"G-Go ahead, Ichinose-san…"

Yuuichirou hummed, not catching the quiver in Mikaela's voice, as he lowered on the floor that caused him to elevate his backside in order to balance his body on the flat surface. The way his ass swung in the air made the blush on the blond's face to brighten and heat up as Yuuichirou took his time to untie the rope on his foot. He gulped nervously as his breathing quickened every time the beta would move to get to a more comfortable position, moving that clothed bottom that was teasing the alpha's sexual drive.

Mikaela bit his bottom lip while heaving heavily, trying to keep his libido in check as the beta freed his foot. He wasn't going to embarrass himself again in front of Yuuichirou by showing that he was turned on just by watching the raven perfoming his work in an innocent yet very suggestive way of doing it.

"Haah, okay. That's done… Now, for your…" Yuuichirou paused as he saw how high Mikaela's hands hang on the hook and he frowned. "Damn, this guy is really a pain. He tied it a bit too high…"

The alpha was panting softly but his voice never wavered. "Do you… need leverage?"

"Something like that…"

"Then…" Mikaela spread his thighs a bit to give Yuuichirou that leverage as his heart pounded inside his ribcage at the way he was displaying himself. This was way too humiliating for an alpha, but they didn't have much of a choice. "Use the chair for it, Ichinose-san..."

Green eyes widen a bit and he flushed, but he nodded nonetheless. "Y-Yeah… That should do the trick…" He averted his eyes away from the blushing alpha as he stood up.

 _God, help me…_

With a swallow, Yuuichirou boosted himself up by a knee and took hold of the knot on the hook that was bonded too tightly to simply remove it. The beta gritted in annoyance as he lurched forward to take a closer look at the tight bind, but in doing so, his chest neared Mikaela's face and his blue eyes stared at it widely as he unconsciously made out the plump outline of Yuuichirou's developed nipples behind the polo shirt along with his appealing body curves. The view made the alpha lick his lips as his pupils dilated ever so slowly as the raven before him squirmed, struggling to get the knots out on the hook as Mikaela aimlessly wondered about what would the beta's nipples feel and taste like under his fingers and tongue. He was unaware that he was leaking his scent as he stared at the body in front of him.

 _Ugh… This damn knot and this damn scent…_

Yuuichirou wanted to whine, but he groaned uncomfortably instead as his senses gone hyper aware that Mikaela was becoming turned on with what he was doing. He could feel warm puffs of air against his chest that sent down shivers on his nerves as he smelled the heady scent of arousal all around. He bit down on his cheek to help him concentrate as he moved forward again, but this time, it made his knee brush against Mikaela's half hard groin that earned him a gasp from the alpha below him.

"I-Ichinose-san…"

"W-Wait… I'm almost… done…." The beta reassured as he used the task of untying the knot to distract him from the initial lust dripping from Mikaela's voice. He didn't want to admit it, but the alpha sounded so damn sexy when he was excited. And he also smelled so, so good that it was starting to make him aroused as well!

 _Damn it! This is way beyond me!_

With one last loop, the rope loosened from the hook and Yuuichirou sighed in relief… but his eyes bugged out when Mikaela's hands were bound as well. "Are you serious…?" He grumbled with his brows furrowed together in annoyance.

The alpha blinked. "W-What…?"

"Your hands are tied up as well. I guess I also have to deal with this..." The beta suggested as he got his knee off from the chair, making him stand once again. "Hmm… But, this knot seems easy enough…"

Mikaela slowly closed his thighs together as Yuuichirou examined the tie on his hands. In doing so, the beta unconsciously sat down on the alpha's lap as he undid a few knots here and there, fully focused on his tasks while Mikaela was blushing all over again.

"T-That's unnecessary, Ichinose-san…"

"It takes a lot of energy to stand in one knee at such a long time, Tepes. Cut me some slack…" Yuuichirou paused before adding. "And also take this as punishment for being so shamelessly turned on by something that was supposed to be platonic."

"I-I can't help it…! You're just so—"

"—Done!" The beta announced as the ropes slackened from his hands and Mikaela was able to feel blood rushing through his limbs again after being roped at such a long while.

The blond rubbed his hands together with a grateful smile tugging on his lips. "T-Thank you…"

"No problem." Yuuichirou smiled back before it disappeared as he got off from the alpha's lap with a light blush on his cheeks. "Anyway, we have to get going, Tepes."

"… We?" Mikaela repeated as he stared at the raven as he too got up from the chair.

"Yes, we. I'm not going to leave you here… Not after what happened…"

"But… I thought you…"

"I know what I said!" The raven interrupted as he crossed his arms on his chest and turned his head away to avoid the alpha's stare. "It's just… I got you into this mess, okay? S-So, it's my responsibility to see to it that you're safe and all until the coast is clear…"

Mikaela blinked before chuckling softly at the way Yuuichirou expressed his worry for the other hidden inside a reasonable way. It was kind of cute.

"My, Ichinose-san has an appealing way of showing his kindness."

"S-Shut up before I change my mind, you pervert!" The beta countered with his face flushed in embarrassment as he began to walk away from the room, ignoring the alpha's apologies out from irritation that made the both of them unaware of the hidden camera on Lacus that saw the whole thing in the room.

* * *

The viewer behind the camera couldn't help a smile creeping up from his lips as he pause the video right on Yuuichirou's face. "I finally found you after three long years. Look at how much you've grown, my little black widow."


	9. We're In This Together

**Chapter 9: We're in This Together**

"By the way, Ichinose-san…"

"Hmm?"

Yuuichirou turned his head to face Mikaela as they both occupied the backseat of a cab that they called right after the incident in Mikaela's mansion. They were currently on the road trying to find a temporary place to stay since the mansion was now a prominent place where Yuuichirou's captors might find them again if given the chance.

"How did you know that those two were…?"

"Oh…" The raven didn't need to know where this conversation was heading since it was pretty obvious. So, he fiddled with his fingers for a bit before answering. "I knew one of them while I was outside, and I immediately hid myself in the trunk of the Audi."

"But you didn't have the key at the time, so how…?"

"I shot it." Came the simple answer, and Mikaela sucked in a breath while nodding.

"So, that's why…"

Yuuichirou's green eyes idly glanced at the alpha out of concern, but then, he noticed something off. Since Mikaela's hair was still tied up, the beta could make out a strange, blinking bulge on his nape, and automatically swatted a hand on it. Mikaela yelped and jumped on his seat at the sudden slap and he glared at Yuuichirou as he palmed his now stinging nape.

"W-What was that for…?!"

"For this…" The beta held up a small black device that was blinking a red light. "Apparently, one of them placed a tracker on you without your knowledge. That was probably why they came to your mansion this morning… and maybe… they were also the ones who were chasing after us in the white car at that time…"

Mikaela paled at the thought that he was the one responsible for nearly leading Yuuichirou to his end and his mind wandered back on the memory of his meeting with Lacus in the hospital in a rush. He remembered the alpha slapping his nape before disappearing. He must have placed a tracker on him in the process. Yet, something didn't seem right.

"But how did they know that I'm with you? It doesn't make any sense."

Yuuichirou hummed. "They've surely installed a voice recorder or a video camera for it to recognize me. They probably put on numerous trackers on a lot of civilians by now just in case I'm around the corner…" The beta's brows furrowed as he hissed in resentment. "That bastard… I didn't think he was that desperate to find me…"

 _Does he finally know who is after him?_ The blond tilt his head. "… Who?"

 _Damn, slip of the tongue…_ Yuuichirou shook his head as he opened the cab window to throw the device away. "It's nothing, Tepes." That respond made Mikaela frown, but the raven added on quickly. "But more importantly, we need to go shopping."

"Again?! But we just did that yesterday!"

"Not for me."

A smirk played on the raven's lips as he looked down brazenly on Mikaela's clothes, almost like he was evaluating the alpha's taste in fashion… or he was stripping him off of his clothing mentally with his mind. Mikaela didn't know, but the weighing gaze, which was nearly going to the point of _burning_ , made him self-conscious and unexpectedly hot inside.

 _Crap, not this again! Keep it together!_

The way Mikaela was blushing and squirming a bit made Yuuichirou realize how long he had been staring. He coughed as he straightened up on his seat and held his brown wig and shades in preparation. "We are going shopping… for your clothes, Tepes."

The mere mention of clothes made the alpha blink in confusion. "Clothes…?"

"Yeah, clothes." Yuuichirou confirmed almost immediately without looking at Mikaela. "We couldn't exactly afford to go back into your mansion now, would we?"

Mikaela's groaned in frustration at the snarky comment that clearly told him right in the face at how they just downright left the mansion without the alpha even bringing his necessities for the temporal leave. He probably couldn't even continue his internship like this when his life was now practically turned into that of a fugitive.

 _Why is life so cruel?_

He sighed tiredly as they were taken to a road called Quai des Tuileries, completely unaware what Yuuichirou had in store for him.

* * *

Tourists all over the world usually visit France for its Eiffel Tower, the Pont des Arts Bridge, the Pyramide du Louvre and, of course, the Louvre Palace. As usual, the roads where buzzing with people as Yuuichirou dragged Mikaela to a metro station as he followed the map on his hand with markers on it.

"It should be around here…" He mumbled as he took a turn.

"Um… Ichinose-san, where are we going?"

"We are going shopping."

"I know, but where—"

"We're here." Yuuichirou raised his head to see the famous skylight, La Pyramide Inversée (the inverted pyramid), in front of him that his father mentioned during one of his visits. "The Carrousel du Louvre."

Mikaela's eyes widened at the name of the (underground) shopping mall and he flinched. "S-Seriously? Here?"

"Yes, here." The beta pocketed the map and he looked up to the alpha as he lower his shades enough for his green eyes to be seen. "And you don't have to worry about the expenses. It's all on me." He winked with a grin before putting his shades up again, concealing his eyes as he began to walk.

The alpha couldn't help but sigh as he followed Yuuichirou's lead. _I swear… He'll be the death of me…_

He stopped walking when the beta faced a shop called Esprit and Yuuichirou turned his head to beam meaningfully at Mikaela before taking him by the wrist.

"No! No, Ichinose-san…! It's too expensive!" The alpha cried out as he dug his heels on the floor to slow down the dragging force of the beta. "I've never…!"

"Fuck, Tepes! It's okay! I already said that it's all on me, anyway! I'm paying for it!"

"You can't make me!"

"Oh, come on!"

Numerous eyes from by-passers stare at them and their little bickering show until a saleswoman from the shop came over to greet the two gentlemen with a troubled smile. " _Bonjour, messieurs. Comment puis-je t'aider?_ (Good afternoon, sirs. How can I help you?)"

"Ah…" Yuuichirou spoke up first before Mikaela could. " _Salut. Parlez-vous Anglais?_ (Hi. Do you speak English?)"

The woman jumped at the sudden question, but she quickly nodded nonetheless. " _O-Oui, monsieur_. (Y-Yes, sir.)"

" _Bien._ (Good.)" The beta cleared his throat as he tugged on the alpha's sleeve and pointed at him. "My friend, here, needs a few nice, stylish threads and I was thinking that this place would be a good start."

"I-Is that so, sir?" The saleswoman gave the both of them a smile as she did a welcoming gesture. "Please, do come in. We have tons of clothes that would definitely look good on your gorgeous friend right here."

The woman looked at the blond with a lingering stare while the raven shot Mikaela a triumphant grin as he pushed him inside insistently. "That's great! Please do give him the best options of fashion that you have here since I'm paying for all of his purchases."

Mikaela scowled at Yuuichirou. _Oh, no, you don't, Ichinose-san!_

"Oh, my! It's a pleasure doing business with you, Sir. You'll never regret stopping by." The saleswoman then grabbed Mikaela's arm a bit too forcefully and pulled him in despite his protests as Yuuichirou went inside, whistling at his victory.

Once the saleswoman informed the other employees of her find, they immediately dashed through different lines of clothing as well as the latest trends to offer Mikaela with as the alpha was pushed inside the fitting room with clothes being shoved at his arms. Yuuichirou then sat down on one of the waiting chairs with a huge smile on his face as he stared in front of the fitting room to see what kind of clothes the blond would wear.

And, well… The raven's eyes would widen every time those curtains would open to reveal Mikaela in another outfit that strangely matched his features regardless of colors, and he would blush at how damn _good looking_ he was in everything—yes, _every damn fucking thing_ —that even drag fashion would suit him very well. It didn't help that the employees who were helping out also stared at him in awe and even made sounds of amazement. It was pretty rare to find people who would look attractive in every fashion even if it was badly matched. Even Yuuichirou had his limits of fashion to look decent in public.

"Wow, you look great, _monsieur_. Almost like a model…" The saleswoman, who brought them in, complimented with a light blush on her cheeks as she admired the blond.

"Thanks… I guess…" Mikaela meekly replied as he stretched his arms a bit to see the clothing behind the mirrors. As soon as he stopped caring on how it looked behind him, he looked over to Yuuichirou uneasily. "Uhm, Ichinose-san…"

"Hmm? No worries, Tepes. Buy as much as you like."

"But, I—"

The saleswoman's gasp interrupted him as she gave a shocking look at the raven sitting on the chair. " _Monsieur_ , pardon me, but did you just say 'Tepes'?"

"Hmm? Yes, I did. This guy right here—" The beta pointed at Mikaela blatantly. "—is the son of Krul Tepes."

"Oh, my God! The son of Krul Tepes?!"

The employees gasped at the information as well, and the alpha in the fitting room began to feel dread in the pit of his stomach as more and more clothes came ramming into his face like an ocean wave in piles.

And Yuuichirou just laughed at it all as the workers try their best to give Mikaela the finest materials their store could offer. He was the son of a famous fashion designer, after all. It was an absolute honor for a clothing manufacturer to have someone related to Krul to wear their products.

By the time it was over, Mikaela was literally throwing daggers at Yuuichirou in his glare as they walk out of the store with gleeful employees sending them off with a hand wave. Unlike when they came in here, the alpha was now wearing one of the suggested garments that a random employee gave him which consisted of a creamy turtleneck, a rust gold overcoat, white pants with matching leather shoes and a beret. He felt like he was wearing a bit too much clothing, but since it was spring, it was kind of understandable why.

Mikaela groaned as he carried approximately three shopping bags on each hand while the beta beside him was humming a tune, completely pleased with what he did despite losing what seemed to be a huge amount of money just on clothes alone.

"Did you have fun?" He asked with a grin.

"If you think having salespeople shoving clothes up your face to test it out is fun, then there's something wrong with you."

Yuuichirou laughed mirthfully that was like music to the alpha's ears. "Aw, don't be like that, Tepes. We've been through a lot of shit in the past days that we didn't have time to mess around. Consider this as a treat from me."

"But I have tons of clothes back home. I don't need these, really."

The beta gave him a frown. "Hey, you'll be going undercover with me for God-knows-how-long, and what? You'll be wearing the same hoodie and pants the whole time? No, I won't allow that." He crossed his arms on his chest as he averted his eyes away. "I… I care, you know… since you saved me…"

The alpha blinked as the information sunk in. _Is this Ichinose-san's way of saying that he's just returning the favor?_

The thought that Yuuichirou was just repaying back because he felt that it was an obligation to do so hurt. Giving gifts was nice, but it would be heartfelt if it was given because the sender wanted to with so much thought, not because they were in debt for something. Besides, the person who just bought all of these was the Japanese Prime Minister's son. Mikaela didn't deserve to receive such things from a prominent person even if he was the son of Krul Tepes.

Once Yuuichirou saw how deep in thought Mikaela was, he became worried. He had been seeing the alpha looking disappointed a lot of times already. Was it that bad to be with him? Should he just left him all tied up in his mansion? He shook his head with a ridiculous smile on his face at the unpleasant thinking.

 _Nah... I don't have the heart to do that. This guy saved me. I should, at least, do something nice for him for a change._

He perked up when his eyes caught the sign of a famous, worldwide, fast food restaurant and he tugged on Mikaela's sleeve. "Hey, let's grab something to eat. We haven't eaten anything for a long while, right?"

Mikaela blinked. He really wasn't expecting that, but the beta was right. Time flew by so quickly. "Yeah, sure."

"Great! Let's go there!" Yuuichirou pointed at a restaurant that clearly screamed McDonalds on it and the alpha gave him a look. "What? It's past lunch already, and I'm starving."

"Alright, alright…" Mikaela immediately said out of defeat once the beta pursed his lips at him in hope.

"Yes! But… You have to be the one at the counter, though… Since I can't speak good French to save my ass."

The alpha had to restrain himself from rolling his eyes as he sighed, accepting his fate.

* * *

Once they ate and done a bit more shopping (for necessities in Yuuichirou's words), it was already evening when the two took a quick cab going to a place that the beta encircled in his map named Apartments du Louvre. Mikaela had heard of the place before from one of the doctors in his internship and how nice it was. He couldn't even believe that Yuuichirou chose the place as their temporal home for the time being because it was kind of pricey, given its condominium design and all.

" _Bonsoir, monsieur. Comment puis-je t'aider?_ (Good evening, sir. How can I help you?)" The girl by the reception desk greeted them and Yuuichirou all but pushed Mikaela at her.

" _B-Bonsoir, mademoiselle._ (G-Good evening, miss.)" The alpha replied back. " _Je voudrais avoir une chamber pour deux, s'il vous plait._ (I would like to get a room for two, please.)"

" _Une chambre pour deux? Certainement._ (A room for two? Certainly.)" The girl nodded as she typed in on a computer. " _Combien de temps vas-tu rester, monsieur?_ (How long will you be staying, sir?)"

Before Mikaela could answer back, Yuuichirou pulled him to whisper in his ear. "Tell her that you're buying the room. Don't worry, I can still afford it. I don't exactly know how long we have to keep ourselves hidden from enemy view, so this is the best option."

The blond hummed before nodding in understanding. " _Um, Fait, je voudrais acheter la chambre, mademoiselle._ (Um, I would actually like to buy the room, miss.)"

" _Vous voulez acheter la pièce, monsieur? Très bien, alors…_ (You want to buy the room, sir? Alright, then…)" The girl typed in on a computer again and produced a key from the table. " _Ce sera 7520 euros, monsieur._ (That'll be 7520 euros, sir.)"

The raven produced the money and even an extra tip for it as he took the key from the desk. " _Merci beaucoup, mademoiselle._ (Thank you so much, miss.)" He blurted out as he turned to his heels to leave for the elevators, almost leaving a blinking Mikaela and woman at the sudden rush. The alpha mumbled an apology at his partner's rashness before proceeding to their room.

"That was quite rude, Ichinose-san." Mikaela commented as he caught on to him in the elevator that was about to close its doors.

Yuuichirou tug his coat tighter as he muttered. "I feel eyes on me, and it's uncomfortable…"

"You could've told me. I would have done something."

"Don't tell me that this 'something' is scent marking me against my will again, is it?" The raven pointed out as he gave a stern look on the alpha as if he was accusing him. He was clearly indicating that one time when they went shopping yesterday for Yuuichirou's necessities where tons of alphas and betas would get his attention for their ulterior motives. He wasn't exactly open to accepting Mikaela's scent just yet, and having him being scented by the blond made him feel completely uncomfortable.

"W-Well, um… What could I do? It's the only possible solution we have here, you know."

"And I want to avoid it as much as possible. We aren't a couple, Tepes. So it's weird and disturbing for me when you did it at that particular time…" Yuuichirou unconsciously brought a hand on his neck where his scent glands were and rubbed lightly at it, giving off his pleasant yet faint apple scent that seemed to tinge Mikaela's alpha senses a bit.

"I'm sorry. But you know why I had to do it, right?"

He nodded but kept his face firm. "I know, and you're never doing it again." _… Unless I want you to._

Mikaela felt his stomach drop at the refusal, but he said nothing as they arrived at their designated floor. Yuuichirou played around with the key as they walked on the hallway of doors before coming across their room where the beta unlocked it and opened the lights to an expensive looking interior.

"Wow…" The alpha muttered as his eyes roamed around.

As he did so, Yuuichirou settled the bags and other things in the living room and took out a bookmark sized piece of paper from his coat. "Now then…" He placed the paper on the coffee table and bit hard unto his index finger with his semi-sharp canine, that were only applicable for betas, in order to pierce his skin to make him bleed.

The alpha jumped when his nose caught the smell of blood and he realized that Yuuichirou had just wounded himself in order to write on a freaking piece of paper. Of course, being Mikaela, he panicked and he stomped his way over to the beta who was too absorbed in writing (or drawing) some weird patterns with his blood.

"What the hell are you doing, bleeding yourself like that?! That's was uncalled for!" Mikaela scolded almost condescendingly. "You still need to recover from your bullet wound the other time!"

"It's fine, Tepes. My body heals almost as fast as yours since I'm a beta." Yuuichirou finished off the writing with a very long line as he continued. "But there are certain aspects in my body that doesn't heal as well as omegas do… particularly in the aspects of an alpha knotting a beta after orgasm in sex. They say that the feeling is painful beyond imagination that you would wish you were dead."

The alpha nearly choked on his spit at how Yuuichirou said that in a straight face without getting embarrassed. This could only mean that the beta was somehow exposed to materials related about the matter or that his parents gave him the 'talk' during his teenage years, perhaps after he presented in order to let him become more aware of his surroundings better. But still… it felt extremely weird to hear him say it without much shame, so he decided to drop the subject matter with another one instead.

"… What is that that you were making?"

"Oh… This?" The raven lifted the piece of paper that now had scribbles of letters in his own blood that dried almost immediately. "This is a blood charm, a charm that is obviously written using the blood of the one writing it. In my country, Shintoism would occasionally use this kind of charm to alert the user that there is an intruder entering a certain facility like a vault, a shrine, and at times, their own houses. It's pretty useful, but it's considered illegal because writing things with your own blood serves as a sign of insanity or possession."

Mikaela shivered. "T-Then, why are you…"

"I had rights because of my mother." Yuuichirou immediately answered as he walked passed Mikaela to place the charm somewhere near the door. He had a feeling that the alpha would want some more information about it because he could clearly see the confusion running all over his face. "Uhm… My mother's family came from a very long line of Shinto priests and priestesses, so she's very skilled with making charms. She taught me how to make it when I was still a kid for safety purposes whenever I'm alone. She said that she'll have a heart attack whenever I don't have one."

"I see…" Mikaela couldn't help but smile at how cute that actually sounded as he imagined Yuuichirou wearing those traditional priest robes that his mother would describe during one of her visits in Japan. "Your mom must be a very nice person. Where is she right now?"

The raven lowered his hands limply in his sides as soon as he placed the charm. He was silent for a while before he slowly turned his head to let an eye meet Mikaela as he muttered lowly. "… She's dead."

"Oh… Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…"

"No, it's alright." Yuuichirou assured him as he walked up to him with his arms crossed on his chest while giving Mikaela a challenging smirk. He didn't like that the conversation was solely focusing on him, so he decided to let the alpha have his part of the conversation. "So… Now that you know about my mother and my father, I feel like I'm sharing a bit too much between us, Tepes. What would you do to remedy the imbalanced situation?"

The blond blinked before smiling. "Well, you obviously know my mother… My father is… a very complicated story." A faraway look donned his face as he continued. "My mom told me when I was still a kid that my father died from drowning somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in one of his business trips."

The raven was speechless when he heard his side of the story. "… I didn't realize that we both lost a parent in our lives. Is this a coincidence?"

"Maybe… maybe not…" Mikaela shrugged his shoulders. "God works in mysterious ways, after all. If He was the one who gave them their deaths, who are we to question His authority. It's painful, yes… But it's a way for us to become stronger as we continue on with our lives."

"… You're so optimistic, Tepes." Yuuichirou mumbled with a hint of smile in his voice as he turned his head away from the alpha. "… Or should I say… Mikaela?"

The way the beta said his first name caught him by surprised and he was blinking rapidly in disbelief as the feeling of elation took its toll on him in very high levels. "Ichinose-san, did you just say my name?"

"Well, no shit, Sherlock. Did you hear me stutter? Of course, I said your damn name." The raven blushed lightly as he furrowed his brows in feigned annoyance.

"I'm sorry." Mikaela apologized with a stupid smile on his lips despite the insult. "It caught me off guard when you said it since I'm so used to hearing you say 'Tepes' all the time."

"Hmm… We've been together for nearly three days and shared some personal things here and there on the run, so it's only right."

"I guess…" The alpha trailed off as he nodded. "So… Does that mean I could call you 'Yuu'?"

Yuuichirou gave him a genuine smile that almost knocked the breath out of Mikaela with how alluring it was. "You can call me anything. I don't mind… as long as it's not insulting enough to let me kill you in your sleep."

The blond snorted. "Alright then… I'll take you up on that offer, Yuu-chan."

"No…" The beta shot him a glare. "No, drop the '-chan'! I'm not a girl, damn it!"

"Huh? But it sounds cute, and I think it suits your name."

"No, for the love of—! Do you even know what it meant?!"

Mikaela was silent as he gave Yuuichirou a mischievous grin. "I think I know a thing or two about it if that's what you want to hear, _Yuu-chan_." He repeated the damn nickname slowly with a shit load of emphasis that made the beta grit his teeth.

" _Ugh!_ Fine! If two could play that game, then I'm calling you 'Mika'!" He announced proudly as he pointed a finger at Mikaela. "That way, we can sound girly together!"

The alpha chuckled as he casually replied back that almost all of his peers call him that, so it was nothing that he was ashamed of. Yuuichirou hissed and settled into his room with a huff while Mikaela chalked up his payback.


	10. Temporarily in Rut

**Chapter 10: Temporarily in Rut**

There were no signs of movement from Yuuichirou's kidnappers in the past few days, but the beta was still wary and always on full alert whenever he and Mikaela would go out to shop mostly on food. Yet, they still had some time to go sightseeing to let Yuuichirou become familiar around in France. Within those days, Mikaela began to know much about the raven just by observing him quietly when the other least expected it.

First, he found out that Yuuichirou was a rather light sleeper as well as an early bird because he would always see him preparing breakfast in the kitchen whenever Mikaela would wake up from his sleep. The delightful aroma of whatever the beta was cooking easily made the blond's stomach growl and tasting his wonderful dishes in the end made it all the more enjoyable. The guy sure know how to cook, he give him that.

Second, Yuuichirou always wore something black in his clothes, be it the top, the bottom or both, it really didn't matter, and the texture—Mikaela found out while doing laundry one day—was very, _very_ soft like cotton that the alpha had to do a double check if the beta really did wear this sort of near breakable material every day. Actually, all of Yuuichirou's clothes were delicate and breezy and it took a whole hour for Mikaela to remember that the raven had very sensitive skin.

Third, and probably the deadliest one, was that Yuuichirou slept with a gun under his pillow every night. Mikaela experienced that the hard way when he went into his room one night to remind him to brush his teeth only to have a laser sight pointed at his forehead. God, the alpha would have died right there from both the shock and the heart attack the beta gave him and Yuuichirou had to remind him to always knock on his door before entering as he apologized for his highly attentive instincts that shocked Mikaela to no end.

Regardless, Yuuichirou never failed to surprise Mikaela at all every single day and the alpha found it thrilling (even if his life was almost in danger on a continuous basis), and he would always look forward to spending yet another day with him.

But, that was yesterday night, though.

This was now.

Mikaela woke up feeling absolutely lethargic and sweaty. His body felt strangely hot and heavy to the point that he didn't want to get out of his room, and he contemplated on just sleeping in for the day. But then his mind thought of Yuuichirou wondering why he wasn't up to eat breakfast yet. It would be weird if one of them broke their usual routine since they have been together for a week now.

Breathing deeply, he mustered up the will to get out of his bed to open the door, but even twisting the doorknob seemed to be hard for him to do because he couldn't stop shaking so damn much. "Fuck! Shit!" He cussed rather loudly and, finally, he opened the door wide enough for cold air to come rolling into his heated body that could only sate him for mere seconds. Mikaela groaned in annoyance at the fast paced, almost-nothing relief as he leaned heavily on the door frame while panting for air. His alpha instincts were ringing loudly—screaming, even—at him to find someone, an _omega_ , to _mate_ with right here, right now.

 _Gracious… I thought I was due next week…_

"Mika…?" Yuuichirou's voice calling for him made Mikaela snap his neck to look at the raven beta staring at him. "Are you alright? You just banged the door open for no reason…"

"I-I'm fine, Yuu-chan…" Mikaela stuttered, cursing inwardly at how raspy his voice was becoming. He couldn't dismiss this thing as some kind of flu because the evidence was loud and clear. Mikaela was in rut and he couldn't hide it from Yuuichirou because his scent was strong during this time of the year.

Yuuichirou furrowed his brows at the dismissal. "Bullshit, you're not fine, Mika. I can clearly smell your pheromones from here. You're in rut, aren't you?"

The alpha bit on his bottom lip as he nodded shamefully while closing his eyes to help him control his urges. The utter _need_ to pounce on Yuuichirou was very tempting. Oh, so tempting, and he was just a few meters away. Yet, the fact that the raven was a beta made his instincts lay somewhat dormant and the alpha in him was very displeased with this kind of setup which made Mikaela chuckle under his breath. "Right…"

"Idiot…" He hear Yuuichirou swear and before he knew it, hands were on his arms as he was gently nudged back inside his room and onto his bed with the beta standing in front of him with a troubled expression. The alpha felt guilty for making his companion worry. "Do you need anything besides wanting to… fuck someone?"

Mikaela snorted lightly. "I don't necessarily need to have sex, Yuu-chan… Maybe some alone time would help me."

"Bullshit… Rutting and cycles of heat are very painful when the two aren't present in the same room to tend to each other's needs. It's nature, Mika." The raven absentmindedly stared of at the side as he muttered something barely audible under his breath. "It is… pretty painful…"

 _Huh…?_

Mikaela blinked. With the way the beta said that, it was like he had firsthand experience of what it was like to be in heat, and it just confused Mikaela all the more. How could Yuuichirou know the feeling of it when he was a beta? "Did you say something, Yuu-chan?"

"… It's nothing." Yuuichirou replied back with a small shake of his head as he began to walk away. "Well… since you're in rut, I guess… I'm going to feed you, huh?"

"Y-You don't have to. I can feed myself." The alpha flustered as he gripped onto the sheets beside him. He was beginning to feel his rut peaking.

The raven raised a brow with a smug smirk forming. "Oh, really? Given the state that you're in right now, I bet the food will only splatter on your entire front." Mikaela gave him a half-hearted glare which made Yuuichirou laugh. "I'm just kidding. Either way, I'm feeding you and that's it. I spent so much money on your clothes and I'm too lazy to do any laundry in this time of the day."

"I already told you, I can feed―"

"Blah, blah, blah… I get it. You want to do this whole thing by yourself, but just take a moment and look at yourself." The raven pointed at him, his green eyes boring into the alpha's flush face. "Your rut is starting to become stronger in each passing second, and you're slowly losing whatever self-control you have left. You're lucky that I'm a beta. That way, not only does your urge to mate was tamed, but I can also take care of you."

"But―"

"No buts. You took care of me when I was in trouble; let me do the same for you, Mika." Yuuichirou unconsciously gave Mikaela a warm, fond smile as he said this before leaving to fetch him some food, unaware at how he made the rutting alpha hard just from something as simple as that.

Mikaela groaned as he looked down at his tent up pajama pants with a hint of shame and nervousness. He never felt this turned on before even when _Akane_ was in heat and the alpha in him frowned at the fact that Mikaela was aroused because of Yuuichirou, who was a _beta_. If the other was an omega, then everything would have made a lot of _sense_.

His smooth, ebony hair that swayed and touched his honey skin gently because of the breeze, his green eyes that sparkled brightly of his strong will and fortitude yet, managed to show kindness behind it all, his cute button nose, and his plump lips that were calling him to kiss it―no, _devour_ it. Devour it until he made Yuuichirou breathless and made his lips swollen red with kisses and bites from his pent up attraction for the other (and also probably from his sexual drive) as he lightly pulled on his black hair to angle his head right to give him even more kisses that were deeper, hotter, _hungrier_ as he savored all of the beta's sounds in his mouth.

Mikaela released a shaky breath at the image he conjured up from his mind as he tentatively let a hand brush on his erection lightly. He hissed at the friction as his heart began to race in his chest and his breathing quickened. He gulped as he rubbed the head of his clothed cock slowly at first to test the waters before he became even bolder.

He panted softly as he delved in his hand under the waistband of his pants and stroked himself through his boxers while letting his mind run wild with imaginations centering on Yuuichirou―his reactions when Mikaela would touch him so intimately, his cries when Mikaela would pleasure him and his looks when he would come completely undone because of _Mikaela_.

"S-Shit… Yuu-chan…"

The alpha shut his eyes as he got himself lost to his fantasies, uncaring if his scent was becoming obvious even through a closed door.

* * *

Yuuichirou sniffed in at a sneeze that was about to come out of his nose. He rubbed on his nose as he wondered about his sudden need to sneeze.

 _It's probably just dust._

He shrugged before looking down at the perfectly simple brunch (since it was already very late in the morning) that he pulled together for Mikaela in a tray: a plate of sliced apples, scrambled eggs and bacon with toast and a glass of milk. He smiled proudly at his handy work. "Even Mika could eat something like this while he is in rut…"

Yuuichirou began to undo the apron, but his nose whiffed off the faintest scent of an alpha in rut and he tensed just slightly. _Oh, boy…_

Due to his status as a beta, Yuuichirou was mildly affected by the smell and he took the tray at hand as he walked through the hallway leading to Mikaela's room, the scent of arousal becoming more and more evident that his body was slowly becoming hot. He knew this feeling very well. He even experienced it during that one particular time where he had to untie Mikaela in his mansion.

He gulped as soon as he stood in front of the alpha's bedroom door with the breakfast tray. Even with a door separating them, Yuuichirou could smell from it the heady scent of musk and spices―a combination that was distinctly Mikaela and only Mikaela as a quivering hand knocked on the door almost hesitantly. For all he knew, the alpha could be in the middle of… something as he stood there.

"M… Mika? You okay in there? I have, uh… your food…"

"… Yuu-chan?"

Yuuichirou immediately blushed red at how absolutely sex laden Mikaela's voice was as he uttered his name that it made shivers crawl up his skin. He bit on his bottom lip as he cleared his throat. "Y-Yeah, I'm here, Mika…"

 _God, Yuu… That sounded wrong in this kind of situation…_

"W-Wait… I'm almost―"

Before Yuuichirou could comprehend what the alpha meant, Mikaela released a grunt followed by rapid panting. The beta stood stiff as his ears picked up the sounds and his mind began to create an image of a disheveled Mikaela, all flushed and sweaty with his blue eyes dark and hazy with lust. The thought made Yuuichirou's mouth dry as he stared at the door with slightly wide eyes before shaking his head.

 _Damn it! Stop it, mind! Stop it!_

He cleared his throat again as he plastered up a smile, trying not to show just how much he was affected. "Can I come in…?"

"… Y-Yeah."

Pausing for a bit to gather some courage, Yuuichirou twisted the doorknob and slightly opened the door to take a peek inside. He nearly dropped the tray once he saw how totally _wrecked_ Mikaela was in a span of, what, five minutes? It was amazing how little time it took for the alpha to create such an image.

"Wow…" The beta unknowingly mumbled as he found that he couldn't look away from the alpha who looked way, _way_ more sensual than what he pictured up a while ago.

His green eyes roamed from Mikaela's messy, sultry appearance that consisted of his blond hair in total disarray, pupils blown wide, cheeks flushed red, and lips undulated down to his exposed chest that openly displayed his defined neck, collarbone and the smallest hints of his abs. He could feel himself salivating a bit at the sight.

 _Dear me…_

"I…" He began slowly, his eyes never leaving Mikaela. "I guess… you were busy, huh? I'm sorry…"

"It's fine, Yuu-chan…" Mikaela reassured as he pulled the blankets up against him, hiding what was underneath it.

Yuuichirou didn't need to know what it was as he laid the tray on the bed before dipping his weight on the mattress afterwards, his heart pounding as he stared at the now calm alpha. "… How are you holding up?"

"Good, so far… since it's just the first day." The alpha replied as he took a toast.

Yuuichirou hummed. "I see… Don't strain yourself. If you need anything, you could always ask me."

Mikaela nodded as he nibbled down on his food slowly as Yuuichirou's eyes once again wander down on the blond. Even if he had come down from his high, the alpha still looked flush like he was infected with a fever that made the beta reach out a hand to cup the alpha's face as he felt the warmth of the heated skin on his palm. Mikaela flinched as Yuuichirou began to rub gentle circles on his cheek with a thumb.

"Yuu-chan?" His exhausted, raspy voice pulled Yuuichirou out of his reverie.

The beta blushed at what he was doing and immediately retracted his hand away like he just got electrocuted. What had got into him to aimlessly do something out on a whim? "S-Sorry about that..." He mumbled, averting his eyes away. "You should be resting, yeah? Cycles like this aren't exactly peaceful, so you need all the energy you could get."

Mikaela tilt his head slightly. "Yeah, but my next one is still hours away…"

"Still, Mika… You shouldn't take this thing lightly. I've read that improper care during cycles of rut or heat would lead to infertility, and in worst case scenario, sterility. And as nature goes, no alpha or omega would like to be infertile, much less, sterile. It would a huge nightmare on both statuses." Yuuichirou lectured with a small cease between his brows.

"And that's why… there are betas around to help them out."

"Precisely." The raven nodded. "That's what I'm here for; to help you out… to take care of you. And since I'm taking care of you, I say that resting up is good for you."

The alpha stared at him for a while before chuckling. "Whatever you say, Yuu-chan. Please do take good care of me."

Yuuichirou widened his eyes at how freely submissive Mikaela became under his care. Either that statement was said as a way to tease him or a way to show Mikaela's dependence on him, Yuuichirou didn't care. He just felt too stunned that the alpha accepted him wholeheartedly. Most alphas would scoff betas away because of their damn pride and arrogance, but Mikaela was… different. It felt… kind of refreshing to know this small, simple knowledge.

 _For some reason, I feel relieved that Mika is different._

Yuuichirou couldn't help a smile that made its way to his lips as he deduced that Mikaela was indeed special.

* * *

The second wave of Mikaela's rut suddenly hit him when Yuuichirou was feeding him the last piece of salmon during dinner. Mikaela flushed hotly as he began to squirm on the bed and Yuuichirou blinked in confusion at the unexpected reaction.

"Mika…? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine… It's just…" _Jesus! Why now?!_

Green eyes travelled down on Mikaela's lap and he stared for a while as the alpha closed his legs. "… Oh. I see…"

Mikaela bit his bottom lip out of embarrassment that Yuuichirou had to see him like this. He didn't exactly want the beta to know what he was imagining while he was jerking off this morning to appease his rut. Fantasies were one thing, but being with the object of said fantasies in reality was another. If he would make even the slightest movement of touching himself all because Yuuichirou was in front of him, then he might just die out of shame.

Yuuichirou, on the other hand, was sitting still on his spot on the bed as he watched Mikaela struggle. It was kind of painful to see him shutting his eyes tight and biting his lips to the point of bleeding. He frowned as he discarded the salmon to the dishes by the tray by the bedside table and sat up straight. The alpha was getting nowhere in his rut if he stayed like that. It was time to take action.  
"Mika, what did I tell you about improper care?"

"I-I know that, but…"

"But, what? Just look at you! You're clearly suffering and in need to let out!" Yuuichirou shifted so that he was comfortably seated in front of Mikaela as he grabbed a handful of the blankets the alpha managed to drag up.

Mikaela flushed red as he and Yuuichirou began to have a little tug-of-war with the blanket that was covering his modesty. No way in hell was he going to show something embarrassing to the beta. "Yuu-chan, wait…!"

But, in one powerful yank, the blankets were off and the beta stared down on Mikaela's thick cock that was fully erect and pulsating before him. Mikaela keened and attempted to hide his erection by closing his legs, but a warm hand by his knee stopped him from doing so.

His misty blue eyes came face-to-face with curious green ones as Yuuichirou began to rub gently on his skin the same manner he did on his cheek that morning. It was soothing, but Mikaela knew that there was something behind the action more than just simple rubbing.

"Y-Yuu-chan…?"

The raven diverted his eyes away for a while as he mumbled with his cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink. "… It must be pretty uncomfortable." He paused to let his eyes meet Mikaela's before adding. "I-If you want… I could help you with your, uh… problem…"

That seemed to make Mikaela's brain stop functioning for a while as he positively heard _Yuuichirou_ wanting to _help_ him in his rut. In the aspects of giving him the necessities, that was acceptable. But in terms of appeasing his nearly insatiable sexual drive, Mikaela was fretting. "You don't have to, Yuu-chan. I can handle it by myself…"

The hand on his knee stopped rubbing and made its way down to his thighs suggestively, sending shivers on the alpha as warmth prickled on his skin and abdomen as Yuuichirou whispered. "But I want to, Mika… May I?"

In his right state of mind, Mikaela would have been shocked with what the beta just said, but instead it made him bite his bottom lip as he stifle a needy groan in his throat at how near _carnal_ Yuuichirou's voice was. He never thought the other could sound like it and it made his cock throb all the more, needing attention.

Yuuichirou seemed to get the message as he let his fingertips trail lightly on the sensitive head of Mikaela's cock. The initial contact made Mikaela gasp as fire sparked in his nerves at the sensation of having somebody else's hand―of having _Yuuichirou's_ hand―on him, and it made him tremble with want as he languidly spread his legs open, inviting the beta as he unconsciously closed his eyes.

That seemed to do something because Yuuichirou curled his fingers firmly around his shaft and gave an experimental stroke to test the waters. Mikaela groaned as he felt himself becoming hot in Yuuichirou's hand and the beta continued to stroke him with his movements gradually increasing in intensity and speed in respond to Mikaela's soft pants and moans tumbling out from his mouth.

The alpha shuddered and sucked in a breath sharply as Yuuichirou let his other hand travel down to massage his balls in tandem with his stroking that caused Mikaela to let out a rather shamelessly moan as he spread his legs more to welcome the new sensation.

"Yuu-chan… Yuu-chan…" Mikaela rasped as his body quaked in heat and fluttered his eyes open to see the other. Once he did, his pupils blow even wider with how close, _so close_ Yuuichirou was that he could practically feel his breaths, his heat and his scent against him. The scent of apples and vanilla sugar―a smell that was solely of Yuuichirou―was downright intoxicating his senses.

He let his blue eyes wander down to Yuuichirou's appearance, but what really caught his attention were his lips that were flushed and glinting with the lightest sheen of saliva. Those very lips that he had been imagining against his own were now there in front of him and he let his tongue poke out to get a taste of it.

In doing so, he felt Yuuichirou stiffen and his stroking stuttered a bit yet his grip remained constant as moist green eyes looked at him in a hefty mix of puzzlement and arousal. "… Mika?"

"Yuu-chan…" The alpha breathed through heavy pants as he unclenched the sheets in favor of cupping Yuuichirou's cheeks, the skin soft and burning in his palms as their eyes met. "Can I… kiss you?"

He expected the beta to refuse immediately, but he just sat there with an unreadable expression before surprising Mikaela by meshing their lips together and kissing him hard. It was nothing he ever felt before and he found himself melting right into the kiss as he took the pleasure of sucking on Yuuichirou's plush bottom lip, earning him a mewl that spurred him on to continue.

It didn't take long for them to have their mouths open for the other as they licked and swirled their tongues together in complete abandonment, causing a copious amount of saliva to trail down their chins as Yuuichirou resumed his stroking and massaging on Mikaela's cock, feeling it twitch and pulse in his hands.

Mikaela could feel himself becoming wet as the warm hand on him began to spread some of his oozing pre-cum and sweat around, making his cock slick with it. His moans that were increasing in volume were muffled with Yuuichirou's lips as the beta thumbed the slit of his cock, teasing it while smearing the beads of his pleasure around the tip. In response, he carded through Yuuichirou's hair and pulled slightly enough to make the raven whine in between kisses as they breathed heavily and clicked their teeth against each other, so lost in the hot sensations of their joined lips and heated skin.

Yuuichirou decided to break the kiss as he gave one last lick before pulling away from Mikaela with a string of saliva connecting them and his hands became faster and more insistent now on Mikaela's engorged flesh causing the alpha's breath to hitch.

"Mika…" The raven breathed the alpha's name with a voice deep and sultry as his eyelids lowered halfway to give him an unbelievably lewd gaze. "You're so hot like this, _fuck_ , I could practically feel you…"

Blood was buzzing through Mikaela's ears as he heard that and he could have sworn his heart was thudding loudly in his chest as he leaned and pressed their foreheads together while he felt his release peaking up, bucking his hips against the warmth that was Yuuichirou's hands. He was almost there. He just need―

Then, Yuuichirou's hands stopped and Mikaela felt him shuffling and lowering down before him in between his legs to the point that the raven's face was dangerously hovering over to his now wet cock. The alpha was breathing harshly as he felt Yuuichirou licking his lips before opening his mouth to take Mikaela in.

The image, even the mere thought, of Yuuichirou giving him head made Mikaela's senses go erratic in overdrive and he began to feel the spring in his abdomen coiling painfully tight as the beta became closer and closer.

 _Oh, God…!_

Mikaela tensed as soon as he felt the faintest puff of warm air touching his cock and he came without much of a warning, grounding his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut as his mind became blank and his body strained with the shocks of his orgasm. He clenched on Yuuichirou's black hair as his hips twitch every now and then and his knot swelled in the beta's hands.

They panted to catch their breaths and calm their hearts down. Mikaela slowly opened his eyes once he managed to compose himself enough and he saw Yuuichirou before him looking down on the mess that was painted all over him in a disorderly fashion. Mikaela flushed once again as he took in the sight of the beta's face, clothes and hands coated with his cum and he grabbed the blankets to cover himself.

"I-I'm sorry, Yuu-chan…! I was…!"

"No, don't apologize. It's fine, Mika." Yuuichirou gave him a smile despite the thick liquid straining on his face as he leisurely stood up from the bed. "I'd say that I'll help you out even if it meant that you have to rut against me for it… but a little warning next time, please? You just ruined this expensive Gucci shirt I was saving up."

"S-Sorry…"

Yuuichirou chuckled lowly as he approached the door of Mikaela's room. "Well, now that was done… I'm expecting you to sleep while I take a shower. The second day of your rut will be a hellish one from what I studied. So it's best to be prepared."

Mikaela couldn't help but shrink in his bed with his face burning as the beta left the room with a soft click.

 _Shit… I want to disappear…_

* * *

After making a beeline into the bathroom with a feigned composure that Yuuichirou perfectly conjured up for Mikaela's sake, his mask completely fell apart in the shower as he went under the running warm water, not minding if he was fully clothed and making his clothes drenched in the process. He let his hands roam all over his body as he inhaled the air around him deeply, still smelling Mikaela's rich scent on his skin that only spoke of the alpha and his sexual excitement.

"Mika…"

His fingers brushed on his nipples that were perked up from his arousal. He gasped hotly at the friction of his shirt against his nubs that sent shivers down his spine as he curled his fingers and pinched them hard. He began to squeeze, fondle and knead his chest slowly while being mindful with his nipples as his mind imagined Mikaela touching him like this. His legs quivered at the sensation and he unconsciously bend forward as more and more of the hot, white pleasure build up just from the touches and the images that his mind was letting him feel.

"Mika… _Mika_ …" He moaned with his cheeks flushed as he let his head touch the cool tile of the shower while his breathing became labored.

One of his hands travelled down to unbutton his pants in order free his hard cock from the constraints. He sucked in a breath sharply as he began to stroke himself the same way he did on Mikaela moments ago, remembering the way he held the alpha's cock in his hand and how _scorching_ it was to the touch.

He was already dripping wet within a few more strokes as the heat and the scent of Mikaela punctured through his senses. Being like this, it was easy to picture the alpha doing these things to him to the point that he could feel his presence behind him, stroking him, making him feel so damn _good_ with his long, warm fingers handling him as he looked at him with hungry, dilated eyes. It made Yuuichirou shiver in excitement at the thought.

 _Fuck… Even if he isn't here, I could still feel it…_

Within a shaky breath, the hand that was massaging his chest stopped to find purchase on the tiled wall of the bathroom as he began to pump himself harder and faster in his fist. He could feel his cock twitching in his hand as his cries grow louder despite the sound of the shower water hitting the floor. Fresh, hot tears cornered in his eyes as his knees wobbled unsteadily beneath him that forced Yuuichirou to gradually lower himself on the bathroom floor while he continued to touch himself.

It was shameful to think of Mikaela so lewdly, but he couldn't help himself because the blond looked so _hot_ and _sexy_ when he was sexually aroused. Watching his pleasured expressions, inhaling his spicy scent, touching his hot cock, and _kissing_ his plush lips that spilled sinful sounds of his desire, how could Yuuichirou not get turned on by it?

He went down on all fours as heat pooled down on his abdomen and whined in frustration. No matter how much he stroked himself and thought of Mikaela, it wasn't enough. He needed something more... more _stimulating_. After all, he wasn't an omega that could jerk off easily just by smelling the scent of an alpha in rut and feeling his knot.

 _I guess there's no escaping it, huh…_

His glazed eyes stared at the soaked floor in his vision for a while before slowly bringing his hand up to his mouth and sucking down on his fingers to slick it thickly with his saliva. He panted against his skin and toyed with his tongue a bit. As soon as he deemed them wet enough, he removed them from his mouth and he slowly reached behind him to circle a finger on the outer rim of his entrance.

A jolt went down his spine at the intrusion, but it didn't hinder him as he dauntingly pushed a finger in slowly. He quivered as he bit down on his lips at the weird feeling of having a finger up his ass to the hilt. It had been a long time since he last did this to himself, so he expected the reaction but what he wasn't expecting was the stinging _burning_ sensation as soon as he added a second finger inside joining the first. His breath hitched as he stretched his hole unhurriedly, feeling the pain of it in doing so, and curled his fingers inside of him as he stroked his cock in time with his thrusting.

He let his head lay on the floor as the sound of his moans spilling from his lips and the squelching of his fingers in his ass echoed on the four corners of the bathroom, making him feel so intensely hot and desperate as he brought himself to his finish. He cried particularly loud when his fingers pushed against his sweet spot and his cock dribbled more pre-cum on the tip as a result that made his eyes roll back at the immense pleasurable feeling.

"Shit… I never thought I would result to— _aah_... t-this after such a long time… Damn it, what the hell have you done to me, Mika?"

Apparently, helping the alpha in his rut by giving him a handjob made Yuuichirou _extremely_ bothered and horny. It was a miracle that Mikaela wasn't able to see his erection moments ago.

The beta took a sharp intake of breath before closing his eyes as he began to let his mind swim in various imaginations and fantasies about the object of his recent sexual attraction. Yuuichirou stifled a groan as he thrust into his ass faster in time with his pumping, picturing Mikaela's hands on him instead of his own and reveling his body weight pushing him down in a submissive pose.

 _"Yuu-chan…"_ The raven could hear Mikaela breathed his name being tickled against one of his ears as he pleasured Yuuichirou, his chest laying flush against his back while he thumbed the slit of his cock teasingly. _"Are you feeling good? Do you want more?"_

 _Ho-Holy shit…!_

Yuuichirou deep breathing was slowly becoming erratic as his eyes widened a bit at the imagination and his back arched willowy in response, raising his ass more in the air invitingly. "P-Please, Mika, I'm close… I'm going to…! _Fuck_!"

He screwed his eyes close as felt his release coming. He was close, _so fucking close_ …!

"God, Mika…!"

He could hear Mikaela chuckling huskily behind him as he held him close, whispering in a voice as dark as it was seductive. _"Come for me, Yuu-chan…"_

"―Ah, fuck! Mika!" The raven wailed as the tightly coiled spring in him released itself in a snap.

Stilling his hips, Yuuichirou came hard in long spurts on the bathroom floor with a guttural cry on his lips, his velvety insides clenching around his fingers as he even out his breathing for the second time that day. He stared hazily at the tiles below him as he removed his fingers from his ass lazily with this thoughts now clear from any sexual fantasies.

He bit on his bottom lip as he realized what he had just done and he lolled his head down with a tired sigh as the thought of facing Mikaela on the second day of his rut hit him like an arrow straight on the head. For sure, the alpha was going to be more sexually active and Yuuichirou didn't know how he might just deal with him.


	11. Tension

**Chapter 11: Tension**

 _I was curious… That's right. I was curious!_

Yuuichirou assured himself the next morning as he finished his cooking. He stood before the stove, wide awake with a clear mind and dressed with a black tee and khaki brown shorts covered by a white apron, as he placed the last batch of pancakes on a plate.

 _I never saw an alpha's knot up close before without it being shoved right up to an omega, that's why I decided to jerk Mika off at that time!_

He paused.

 _Ah, but… that didn't explain why I got turned on and end up touching myself… thinking of him, no less!_

The raven face palmed himself, groaning in irritation as he placed the breakfast food on the table and noted that the excuse of being curious wasn't comforting him enough. Thinking back of the events last night, Yuuichirou knew that he was throwing himself in dangerous waters when he thought of Mikaela as he was masturbating in the shower.

In the first place, he wasn't supposed to. They were just acquaintances on the road to becoming friends, for crying out loud!

Sure, friends help each other in times of need, but not in such a sexual manner.

 _Does that mean we're… friends with benefits?_

As much as the idea strangely thrilled Yuuichirou and made his skin tingle, he couldn't exactly hope to have such a relationship with Mikaela seeing how they weren't exactly made for each other, being an alpha and a beta respectively in terms of status.

Not to mention that they were both men.

 _Not exactly a nice arrangement for procreation now, huh?_

Yuuichirou sighed while pinching the bridge of his nose. He had been through this at some point in his life and it was easy to accept a certain side with a few more thinking and some reassurance, but now, his feelings were getting so mixed up that it was messing around his mind and heart.

Just, what exactly were his feelings towards Mikaela?

For one, he was very grateful that Mikaela wasn't a complete asshole at that time when Yuuichirou was heavily injured and hijacked his car. He was hesitant at first, yes, but he didn't force him out when he had every right to. It was _his_ car, after all, and Yuuichirou could have been sued for it. Then, Mikaela welcomed him to his mansion that ended up being abandoned afterwards because of the assault of his kidnappers.

And yet, despite all that… Mikaela still openly accepted him to the point of teasing him even whenever the opportunity would present itself. Was it normal for an alpha to take all those events in and not get mad? Mikaela's personality was already confusing enough as it was. He was kind, caring and selfless despite Yuuichirou being so contradicting to it. The man was practically an angel―a saint, even―and the raven found himself adoring Mikaela in every minute he spent with him. And the fact that the alpha was handsome didn't help one bit.

 _Dear Lord… Am I actually having a crush on him?_

Yuuichirou keened in embarrassment as he hid his face in his hands while blushing at the realization. "Goddammit, Yuu..! What happened to your 'no-attachment-until-you-trust-them-enough' rule to people you just recently met?! This is not like you!"

As he was pondering over his new attitude to Mikaela, he heard a door being shut close and he looked up to see the blond dressed messily with a light blue polo and black pants as he slowly walked over to the table with his face flushed and his breathing labored. A shiver ran down on Yuuichirou's spine at the sight and he pursed his lips as he gulped nervously.

 _This is it… His second day…_

Yuuichirou inhaled sharply as he undid his apron and made a tentative hand wave greeting. "Uh… Good morning?"

Mikaela glanced at him before nodding in acknowledgement. "… Ah."

 _Was that even a greeting?_

Well, the beta couldn't complain right now since the alpha was in rut, so he shrugged it off as he joined Mikaela on the table and took the seat on the seat across him. He hesitantly took a glimpse of Mikaela squirming uncomfortably on the chair with his scent strongly wafting around the area and he coughed lightly. "So, uh… In pain I take it?"

"I'm _aching_ , Yuu-chan." He corrected huskily with arousal dripping in his voice as he gripped on the edge of the table to control himself. "Fuck… It hurts so badly…"

"Jesus, Mika!" Yuuichirou slammed a hand on the table. "I already told you that it's alright if you want to rut against me! You didn't need to suffer!"

"E-Even if you say so, it's just highly improper because you're…"

"Because I'm, what? The Prime Minister's son, is that it?" Mikaela nodded and Yuuichirou exhaled. "Mika, we've been together for a week, call each other in nicknames, and you tease me a hell lot, yet you're hesitating to rut against me because of that reasoning? The nerve you have…"

Yuuichirou wasn't exactly angry at Mikaela for that, just a bit irritated that the alpha was being so damn modest whenever opportunities would present itself in front of him. The beta was endeared that Mikaela was being thoughtful, but he needed to learn how to be selfish for once especially when times were crucial.

So, what to do?

Mikaela was practically shaking like a leaf at the other end of the table because of his pent up sexual frustration, and Yuuichirou stared at him before an idea came into his mind that made him curl his lips upward in a cheeky smile. If Mikaela wasn't going to take action once again, then the beta should instigate it until the alpha would eventually give in. It was the only way for him to release that tension.

"Hey, Mika…" He called out as he slowly lifted one of his legs under the table in silent cautiousness, removing the fluffy apartment slipper in the process. "There's no need to hold back just because of that. I already gave you full permission to do so."

Mikaela inhaled sharply. "But even then… You might think wrongly of me if I did rut against you."

Yuuichirou snorted. "I would never think wrongly of you, Mika. In fact…" He pushed a naked foot inside until he heard Mikaela gasp and saw him jump a bit on his seat with his cheeks blushing some more. The response made the beta's smile widen as he mumbled. "… It's quite the opposite actually."

With a hand holding his face on the table, Yuuichirou began to move his foot on the material of Mikaela's pants that was covering his erection. Since it wasn't bare like last night, the beta could only make out its hardness and shape as he languidly rubbed his foot up and down in between the alpha's thighs, feeling it twitch on his skin in all of his movements.

Mikaela quivered as he bit down on his bottom lip at the new sensation and his body instantly reacted to the pressure by grinding his hips roughly against Yuuichirou's foot. Breakfast had long been forgotten as his hands tighten their grip on the black rosewood table while he shut his eyes firmly. "Y-Yuu-chan, fuck—aah!"

Yuuichirou swallowed hard at the utterly wanton image Mikaela was displaying and it spurred him on to continue fondling the alpha's erection with his foot. He wasn't particularly harsh since this was his first time doing this, and he knew he was doing it right given with Mikaela's sensual cries and pants and body language.

He could feel himself becoming warm and lightheaded just by watching the alpha unravel before him and his fingers stiffen unconsciously on his face as a result with sweat beginning to form on his head. It made him want to do more than just stroke Mikaela with his foot to spice things up and make the alpha come completely undone. He wanted Mikaela to feel thoroughly satisfied… _sated_.

"Mika…" Yuuichirou's aroused voice practically purred the alpha's name in hunger as his toes curled teasingly on Mikaela's clothed cock. "Did you know I touched myself after I gave you a handjob?"

Mikaela jerked in reaction as he slowly opened his now darkened, blue eyes to look at the beta across the table, his gaze an absolute definition of desire. "W-Why did you… do that?"

"I did it because of you…" The raven eyed the alpha with his green eyes becoming half-lidded and pupils blown just like last night as he met Mikaela's stare. "You turn me on so much and you don't even realize it…"

The alpha panted harshly. "I-I… I turned you on?"

"Yes, you did. And I was having fantasies about you…" Yuuichirou emphasized his point by letting his hands lower down to his chest as he made sure Mikaela was looking at him. He released a throaty groan as he lolled his head to one of his shoulders once he made contact with his perked nubs beneath his clothes. "I imagined you having your hands all over me, caressing and squeezing my chest, pinching my nipples and making me feel so damn good with only your fingers."

Mikaela moaned lowly and Yuuichirou felt his eyes wandering down on his body. The intensity of the alpha's heated gaze ignited delicious sparks of electricity into the beta's nerves to the point that Yuuichirou could literally _feel_ Mikaela undressing him with his eyes. He could feel them headily, urgently taking the hem of his shirt and hiking it up enough to show his pert nipples and taut abdomen for the blond to openly feast on in pure, animalistic want.

The feeling of it made his skin prickle pleasantly in excitement and his cock strain in his clothes.

 _Crap…_

Yuuichirou shivered and panted softly, his eyes never leaving Mikaela, as he let one of his hands lower down to his pent up erection which cause him to cry out and arch his back at the friction. "S-Shit… Mika…"

He heard Mikaela's breath hitched when he heard his name being spilled from his lips in such a _needy_ way as he unzipped his shorts to bring out his throbbing cock that was already dripping wet with pre-cum and sweat. God, he was beyond horny right now.

He inhaled a shaky breath as he slowly took his cock in his hand and began to stroke himself in time with the rubbing on his foot, stimulating the both of them despite the tension that it developed in his muscles. He didn't care, especially when he could feel that familiar surge of blinding pleasure rippling through him in waves with what he was doing.

It was unbearably, overwhelmingly _hot_.

"Y-Yuu-chan…" Mikaela mewled lustfully. "Are you… touching yourself?"

"Fuck, Mika, _yes_." Yuuichirou keened as the hand on his chest tweaked a nipple through his shirt, making him release a rather loud moan. "You have no idea… how sexy you are right now… and I just have to… to…"

Then, the beta thumbed the slit of his cock out of impulse that it caused him to suddenly throw his head back at how sensitive it was and he came right there and then with a howl. Yuuichirou's body jerked exhaustedly at the aftershocks of his early orgasm and he weakly lowered his head to see Mikaela staring at him owlishly with wide, blown eyes. And Yuuichirou was given the impression that the alpha was in shock.

 _He must've been shocked that I came a bit too early…_

Well, seeing how the object of his sexual fantasies was right there in the flesh, it just heightened the beta's sex drive and made him all the more excited that he not only admitted that he was imagining of Mikaela in his head, but he was also jerking off shamelessly in front of him. Yuuichirou's cheeks blushed red at what he just did and he raised his clean hand in the air defensively.

"I-I'm sorry! T-This is…!" The raven stopped talking when he felt something warm and sticky on his foot, and he realized then that Mikaela just came in his pants without saying anything.

That surprised Yuuichirou.

"Mika…? Did you just…?"

The blond groaned as he covered his face with his hands with a terrible blush (worse than Yuuichirou's) blooming all over his face as his body trembled in embarrassment. "Christ, Yuu-chan… When you make a face like that… I just… _Ugh_!"

The raven bit on his bottom lip at the implication, unsure if he should feel dreaded or flattered by the comment. But either way, it didn't really matter… since there will be a lot of those today, and Yuuichirou couldn't help the sigh that escaped from his lips from the inevitable.

 _I'm going to hell, aren't I?_

* * *

After having a rather late breakfast with Mikaela and changing his clothes, Yuuichirou was in the laundry room, squeezing his soiled shorts and hanging them to dry when he felt another presence entering the room. He looked behind him to see Mikaela wearing a red hoodie and a set of new boxers, and he let out a sigh.

"Mika, the laundry room isn't exactly spacious, you know…"

"I know…"

"Then, why are you here?"

"I…" Mikaela thought of what he was supposed to say before he shook his head as he approached Yuuichirou without finishing his sentence. His eyes bore a hungry looking stare as he gazed at the beta.

"W-What…?" Yuuichirou breathed when the alpha was in close distance. The beta gulped nervously once he caught a sniff of Mikaela's heady scent and he immediately knew why. "Oh… _Oh_! Right…"

The raven's heart began to thump inside his chest and his blood buzzed in anticipation that he never knew was there. But he kept himself at bay as he faced the alpha with all the support he could give. "W-Well… If we are going to do that, then we have to relocate since this place is―"

Suddenly, hands were placed on the beta's shoulders to get his attention, and Yuuichirou was looking at a flushed, panting Mikaela whose eyes was completely dilated to black as he husked. "I can't. I couldn't wait any longer, Yuu-chan…"

Yuuichirou blinked dumbly, and before he knew it, he was turned around and both of his hands were swiftly taken by a firm hold that pinned them behind his back as he was bent over by the washing machine. The action made the beta yelp in surprise and he turned his head to give Mikaela a glare.

"H-Hey…! I get that you're in rut, but you don't have to be so rough about it!"

The alpha didn't say anything as he leaned down to whisper against Yuuichirou's ear that made the beta shiver at the closeness and the warmth of his breath. "But you knew that this might happen, so I don't see why you should complain about me being rough with you…"

 _Well, he does have a point…_

Yuuichirou sighed in defeat. "Okay, okay, but could you release my hands, please? Your grip is pretty painful…"

The raven squirmed uncomfortably to indicate the discomfort, but Mikaela bit on one of his ears as if to scold him from moving too much. It was supposed to hurt, yet Yuuichirou didn't feel any pain. Instead, he let out a gasp and his face colored into the brightest shades of red in record time at the tingling feeling. His reaction didn't go unnoticed as he heard Mikaela chuckling darkly behind him soon after.

"Oh… Are your ears sensitive, Yuu-chan?"

"S-Shut up…" Yuuichirou mumbled in response as he attempted to hide his ears away, but Mikaela licked the delicate skin and even grazed it lightly with his teeth to tease him. The beta bit on his bottom lip as his body trembled delightfully, his nerves being set aflame once again at the sheer pleasure that was starting to take its toll into him.

 _Just like what I imagined last night…_

His legs began to shake beneath him at the thought and he could've sworn he would have fallen if Mikaela or the washing machine wasn't holding him up. His breathing was slowly becoming heavy and his skin burning as Mikaela's free hand came up to give fleeting touches on his neck before languidly going down to his chest where he brushed against perked, aroused nipples.

Yuuichirou shuddered as Mikaela's hand rolled its fingers on a nipple and tweaked the little nub behind the friction of the beta's cotton, white polo shirt. The sensation made the beta arch his back sinuously as he let out a moan and pressed his clothes ass on Mikaela's hard erection, earning an amused hiss from the other.

"Do you like it, Yuu-chan?" The alpha breathed seductively on the raven's ear that was taking on a pretty pink color. "Do you like it when I touch your nipples like this instead of letting my mind or your fantasies do the job for it?"

That made Yuuichirou quake and he let out a needy whine in return. That much was obvious because feeling Mikaela's heated skin and scent on him was enough to make him feel so dizzyingly _good_ and _hot_. The fact that they were this close was way, way better than any of his imaginations that his mind could ever conjure up and the beta found himself wanting more of it.

"M-Mika…" Yuuichirou panted as he tried to move his hands from the alpha's iron grip but found it impossible, especially when Mikaela was starting to grind up against him from behind. "S-Stop… Let me touch you… I…"

"No…" Mikaela refused quietly as his lips ghosted over his nape before giving it a kiss, making the raven's breath hitch. "Let me do it this time… I want to make you feel good as well…"

"B-But― _aah_!" The beta was cut off when he felt something hard and wet pushing in between his thighs and he whimpered. "Mika, what…?"

"Just stay in this position, Yuu-chan…" the alpha ordered in a raspy voice as the hand on Yuuichirou's front travelled low onto the beta's abdomen, feeling the smallest delicious frissons of his actions. "… and close your thighs a bit more."

 _Is he…? Oh, God…_

Yuuichirou did what he was told with no resistance and Mikaela quivered, pleased at how obedient the beta was and at how downright sexy he was presenting himself with his hands bound and useless. The sight made Mikaela's cock twitch as he pulled back only to push roughly in Yuuichirou's thighs, the friction of the raven's black pants stimulating him to orgasm.

The beta was having a hard time controlling the cries and moans that were coming out of his plush lips as Mikaela fucked his thighs in fierce, unadulterated thrusts. He could feel it hotly pulsating despite the layered clothing that he donned as the alpha rocked his hips, meeting Yuuichirou's plump ass in each one of it with no sense of finesse.

It was raw, purely animalistic even, and the raven shamelessly loved it. He felt like he was losing his mind.

The washing machine before them was shaking violently in tandem with Mikaela's thrusts as the alpha palmed Yuuichirou through his pants to coax him to release. The beta made a strangled noise at the sudden contact that quickly made his knees wobble uncontrollably beneath him.

He could rapidly feel how close he was with just a simple touch from Mikaela's hand on his erection and he blushed at the realization.

 _Shit! Shit! Shit! It's too soon, damn it!_

"Yuu-chan…" He could hear Mikaela groaning his name sensually behind him as his fingers rubbed on his clothed cock with his hand being coated with the lightest sheen of pre-cum. "Are you feeling good?"

The raven could only whimper back as he felt the alpha's thrusts becoming more and more erratic. He cried out when Mikaela did a particularly hard plunge that nearly sent him over to the edge. He was close.

 _Fuck…!_

Yuuichirou looked back behind him to give Mikaela a warning. "Mika…! I'm going to―!"

With a bite of his lips, the raven came hard against Mikaela's hand once the alpha did the same hard plunge between his thighs again. Yuuichirou's body tensed deliciously as he tried to even out his breathing from his high while the alpha behind him did a few more thrusts before finding his release, staining Yuuichirou's pants and the application device with his cum as his knot swelled.

They both panted heavily as Yuuichirou felt Mikaela's body weight being draped on him while his hands were lazily freed from the alpha's grip, his arms falling limp beside him as they both tried to calm their hearts down. The beta cringed when he felt Mikaela's cum dribbling on his pants and he groaned tiredly in frustration.

 _Great… More laundry…_

* * *

"You're insatiable…" Yuuichirou huffed with an arm draped over to his eyes, his body shuddering as his mind felt drunk from all of the pleasure he was experiencing. "… and kinky."

He lifted his arm a bit to see a gorgeously wrecked Mikaela on him, flushed naked and panting heavily as the alpha came down from his high for the seventh time that day. Yuuichirou had long stopped changing his clothes and instead settled on a bathrobe and some boxers which were now in a mess of saliva and cum.

They were now in the living room, specifically on the floor, when Mikaela suddenly rutted against Yuuichirou somewhere late in the afternoon. The alpha had been rather haste with this round because he didn't say anything as he practically pounced on the beta and attacked his chest with his mouth, sucking and nipping his nipples and any other skin that he could find until Yuuichirou was a moaning, blushing mess beneath him.

His reactions were enough to spur the alpha on to proceed on grabbing his ass in order ground their cocks together despite the boxers between them and thrust against Yuuichirou in a brutal, relentless pace until they both found release. It was quick and ruthless, but still satisfying enough to sate them.

And that led to their situation right now.

Mikaela blushed as he used one of his hands to shakily grip on the edge of the living room couch to hoist himself up from Yuuichirou. "S-Sorry…"

"No, don't be. It's a rather… interesting discovery, Mika." The raven grinned as he raised himself up by his elbows, his bathrobe sliding past his shoulders to reveal his lithe torso and pink nipples that were now showing numerous bite marks and hickeys that the alpha inflicted on him.

Mikaela's breath hitched at what he saw and turned his head away in embarrassment. "Please, Yuu-chan… It's bad enough that I have to do those things to you… What will your father say?"

"Oh, don't mind about my dad. This is just a thing between the two of us." Yuuichirou reassured with a wink. "Besides, I'm a beta, remember? Your scent won't linger on me for too long unless we're… bounded, if you know what I mean…"

"You mean… married to one another?"

"Married and bonded." The beta emphasized as he sat up from the floor. "We, betas, are different than omegas. We may function in some similar ways, but the thing is that a beta has to get married to their intended mate before bonding with them. It is a symbol of undying loyalty." Yuuichirou paused for a while before adding. "That's… probably one of the reasons why most alphas don't really like betas a lot. It takes a great deal of pride to settle down on only one person, you know…"

Mikaela's eyes widened a bit at the information. He had never heard of that before even in books. All he knew about betas was that they were not as wanted much in society, they only live to serve alphas and omegas in times of need, they didn't have much success when it came to impregnation (unless they mate with their fellow betas) and they get pissed when driven up to a corner.

Those were enough to let Mikaela know his boundaries around them. He didn't know that they were capable of such loyalty, and it made him wonder. "… Really? That's new…"

Yuuichirou laughed almost bitterly. "Well… Alphas have the power to alter information, both in rumors and in books. So, it's understandable…"

The alpha stood up from his seat, feeling livid about the submission. "But, that's unfair!"

"Mika…" The beta leisurely stood up from his spot on the floor as he fixed his bathrobe. "In this world where power, status and money are enough to make people turn their backs in an instant, it's normal that they don't give as much information on betas. All that matters is that they procreate and do their jobs. They don't give a rat's ass on such trivial things."

"Yuu-chan…!" Mikaela grabbed Yuuichirou by the arms so that they were facing each other. "Such trivial things are important! Don't dismiss like it is nothing!"

"Well, what can I do?! I don't have much even if I'm the son of the Japanese Prime Minister! Maybe if I was an alpha or perhaps the head of the United Nations, then maybe these things would change!"

"You don't have to be either of those two in order to change something! If you believe that you could do it, then you could do it! If you need support, then I'll be there for you!"

Yuuichirou was stunned into disbelief. Was he hearing right? Mikaela was encouraging him, even lending a hand for him to make a change in their society? Him, an alpha?

 _This is a joke… right?_

The beta could laugh it off as some sick prank that the alpha invented in order to make him assured, but with the way Mikaela's eyes shone brightly with resolve made him thought otherwise. It warmed his heart to hear that coming from him and he couldn't help the smile forming on his lips as he gave Mikaela a tender look.

"You care… a lot even if you're an alpha, huh?"

That made Mikaela blush. "W-Well… That's just how I am…"

Yuuichirou hummed suggestively as he came closer to the alpha. "Or… are you saying that because it's me?"

"N-No, definitely not, Yuu-chan! I care for other people, you know!"

The raven chuckled at the cute reaction as lifted his arms to loop them around Mikaela's neck to bring the alpha down for a bit on his level so that he could whisper to him lowly. "… Then, I have nothing to worry about."

Mikaela didn't say anything as he closed his eyes when Yuuichirou caught his lips in a gentle kiss. It wasn't like last night where their kisses were rushed and primal. This one was slow and very, _very_ sweet that instantly made the two of them melt against the other. The alpha whirled his arms around Yuuichirou's waist to pull him close as they both open their mouths willingly to welcome their partner.

It was sloppy and messy, but downright intoxicating as Yuuichirou took this advantage to lead Mikaela on the living room couch. When the blond felt the edge of the couch behind his knees, he broke the kiss for a while to give the beta a confused look through half-lidded, dilated eyes.

"Yuu-chan…?"

Yuuichirou returned his stare with his own lustful expression as he loosened his hold on Mikaela's neck without saying anything. He let one of his hands trail on Mikaela's neck down to his collarbone then to his chest where he felt the creamy skin tremble on his fingers and he inhaled deeply as his hand stopped on where the alpha's heart was.

It was beating heavily in the same harmony as his own, almost like they were only one person. The beta sighed breathlessly at this as he gave Mikaela a heated gaze before he pushed him down to the couch forceful enough to make him sit on it and lose his hold on Yuuichirou's waist with a surprised gasp. But, other than that, there was no further reaction as Yuuichirou followed suit by sitting down on the alpha's lap and straddling his hips urgently, causing his knees to sink on the inner edge of the couch on Mikaela's sides as he reclaimed those luscious, red lips in a passionate, open-mouthed kiss.

Mikaela moaned when both their tongues reeled together as he felt Yuuichirou's hands running through his hair, tangling the strands the more they deepened the kiss and caused saliva to dribble out of the alpha's chin. It was intense, electrifying, and _hungry_.

The alpha slowly settled his hands on Yuuichirou's silky, plump thighs that gradually went up to his ass in feather light touches that made the honey skin in front of him quiver. The raven's breath hitched in reaction as he was pulled close by Mikaela, feeling the other writhing and grinding against him with his half-hard cock.

Yuuichirou gently broke the kiss with a lick on Mikaela's bottom lip before brushing his lips on the alpha's jawline down to his neck where his scent glands were, his hands lowering down on Mikaela's broad shoulders as he breathed in his heady scent. The scent that he didn't like on him prior to them living together now became one of the factors that made Yuuichirou hazy and thoroughly aroused. It was appalling for his beta mentality, but he couldn't help himself.

 _If only I was an omega, then I would claim you as my own…_

He could feel his blood singing in his veins at the thought as Mikaela's scent became stronger and he leaned in to give the alpha's scent glands a suck. The small action made some of Mikaela's pheromones to leak out and the blond let out a husky groan, his hands squeezing on Yuuichirou's ass cheeks as he became hard.

Sensing this, the beta knew right away that his next wave was upon them and he released his face from Mikaela's neck to look at him. Surely enough, Mikaela was flushed and panting deeply against him with his brows tight in a pained frown and Yuuichirou reached out to give it a soothing kiss.

"Shh, it's alright. I'm here, Mika." The raven cooed as he spread butterfly kisses on the alpha's face.

Mikaela sighed, visibly relaxing from Yuuichirou's actions, as those kisses travel down to his torso, and before he knew it, the beta pried his hands away from his ass in order to glide down before the alpha until he was on his knees on the floor. The raven then placed his hands on Mikaela's thighs to spread them open more for him as he neared the blond's cock, smelling the potent pheromones there and seeing it twitch and redden in anticipation. The sight of it made Yuuichirou's mouth water in want.

The beta then wrapped a hand around to stroke it and he heard Mikaela exhaling a breath in relief, but he surprised him by flicking his tongue on the tip. The wet contact made the alpha jerk and he looked down to see Yuuichirou with his tongue out. Did he just…?

 _Oh, God…_

"Y-Yuu-chan, you don't have to…" The alpha insisted as he tenderly raked a hand through jet black hair.

Yuuichirou pouted. "But I want to. I've been wanting to since last night, yet you…"

Mikaela's cheeks burned red at the memory and he covered his mouth at the back of his other hand as he murmured. "… It's because I was excited."

"Excited? From what, from me giving you a blow job?" The alpha nodded at the question which made Yuuichirou snort. "You're really a hopeless case, Mika… but then again, so am I."

The alpha was going to ask what Yuuichirou meant by that, but it died down in his throat as the beta gave a lick on the head before swirling his tongue on it, his hot breath against the sensitive flesh made Mikaela's skin prickle and moan in delight.

The warm hand on his cock leisurely moved down to his balls where Yuuichirou massaged it just like last night as the beta moved his tongue down to give long licks on Mikaela's shaft, feeling the vein pulsing in doing so as he slicked the skin with his saliva.

Mikaela was biting down on a finger at the pleasure shooting up his body with the way Yuuichirou was handling him in very delicate precision. He never knew the beta would be so experienced in doing this and he vaguely wondered if Yuuichirou had someone in the past that made him do these kinds of things.

The idea made jealousy bubble inside him, but it was overwhelmed with searing bliss once the beta took him in his mouth, engulfing Mikaela's cock in his wet heat and making the alpha bite harder on his finger as he released a keen.

It was _scorching_ , and pure heaven as Yuuichirou continued to take Mikaela in his mouth and practically deep throated him in one push. The alpha could feel himself melting with his nerve endings being ignited to the core, especially when the raven began to bob his head. His toes curled from the pressure as he watched Yuuichirou swallowing his cock through lips that gradually became wet and swollen.

God, the beta looked so damn erotic right now that it made a shudder run pleasantly in Mikaela's spine as his muffled cries grew in volume.

Then, their eyes met in a blazing stare just as Yuuichirou had the head of his cock on his mouth. The beta lightly traced the foreskin with his tongue and gently scraped his teeth on the engorged flesh that made Mikaela release the finger he was biting on to give a loud moan while his body jerked. The achingly beautiful reaction made Yuuichirou's own cock stir in between his legs and it spurred him to continue on pleasuring Mikaela to the best of his ability.

 _More… Show me more…_

Opening his mouth after breathing deeply, he took Mikaela once again, but this time, his pace was frenetic as he hollowed his cheeks, causing his bathrobe to slip from his shoulders to pool down on his elbows. The hand on his black hair tightened its hold in response as Mikaela's breathing became uneven. He was feeling too _good_ , too _hot_.

" _Fuck_ , Yuu-chan…"

"Mika… Do you want more?" Yuuichirou mumbled on his cock, the vibrations of his reddened lips sending more pleasurable waves on Mikaela as he sucked intently.

"Y-Yes…"

"Then, do it. Fuck my face, if you have to. I want my mouth to remember the feel and the taste of you for days."

Hearing that made Mikaela gasp as his eyes blew wide some more in utter _need_.

 _Good Lord…!_

Combing his blond hair back to ease his damp forehead, Mikaela then grasp on Yuuichirou's head and began to thrust into his mouth. The feeling of it made him throw his head back as he screamed in ecstasy. "God, Yuu-chan… so good…"

Yuuichirou hummed approvingly as he shift his thighs a bit at the erection he was sporting just by looking at Mikaela. He had always considered the alpha attractive, but he was way more stunning being dissolved into pleasure like this.

Then, Mikaela carded his fingers through his hair and Yuuichirou quaked in desire as his ears picked up the lewdness in the alpha's voice. "More…"

 _"Mmm… That's right. Just like that. Suck it harder."_

The beta's eyes widened, his sex drive disappearing once his mind suddenly conjured that up. The frantic tempo that he was going on stuttered, but Mikaela still continued to plunge his cock in his mouth, so lost in the sensation that he didn't notice Yuuichirou's shocked expression with his eyes screwed shut.

 _Stop…_

 _"Wow, your mouth is amazing. Who knew that someone of your status had lips like that of a whore?"_

 _Stop it…_

Yuuichirou began to lose his constant breathing as Mikaela drove into him faster fitfully, signaling his upcoming climax. It was so feral that the beta had to clutch on Mikaela's thighs while images of the past slowly took over his head. "Yuu-chan, shit, I'm going to…! I'm going to―!"

 _"Now… Remember its texture and flavor… because that will be all you're ever going to taste."_

 _STOP IT!_

Yuuichirou gasped loudly as he pulled out while spurts of cum came out from Mikaela's cock, making a mess on his face and mouth. They were both panting heavily as Mikaela's hands fell limply from Yuuichirou's hair, engrossed on the aftershocks of his orgasm as his knot swelled. The alpha opened his eyes slowly to see the beta… crying before him.

That alarmed Mikaela and he quickly cupped Yuuichirou's face despite the pain of his knot between his legs. "Yuu-chan, are you alright? Did I hurt you?"

The beta sniffled and shook his head. "No… No, you didn't. It's just…" Yuuichirou paused before he pried Mikaela's hands from him like the other caught a virus. "I… I need a shower…"

The raven dismissed as he quickly fixed his bathrobe and walked away, ignoring Mikaela's calls and shutting the bathroom door behind him.

* * *

Yuuichirou hurled on the sink of the bathroom as the running warm water from the faucet washed away any residue that he got rid of (mostly Mikaela's cum) as he stared on the streaming liquid as he breathed down to calm himself.

"What the hell was that?" He asked himself as he splashed water on his face. "I thought I've gotten over from that… _Goddammit_!"

Yuuichirou grit his teeth as he slammed a fist down on the porcelain table. He didn't mind the pain surging through his nerves as he glared down on the sink. While he was standing there, a soft knock was heard and Yuuichirou whipped his head at the door with his green eyes turning red in an instant as he snarled.

" _Who the fuck_ ―?!"

"Yuu-chan…" Mikaela's mellow voice from the other side made the beta stop talking. "Is everything okay in there? You just left…"

"I… I'm fine, Mika…" Yuuichirou replied shakily, blinking his eyes. "S-Sorry about that… I just remembered something…" Yeah, something awful.

"Oh…" A pause. "Alright, then… I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Y-Yeah. Good night, Mika."

"Good night, Yuu-chan…"

Yuuichirou heard the soft padding of Mikaela's feet disappear from the door and he looked at himself on the mirror before groaning.

 _Damn you, Ferid._


	12. Stab to Reality

**Chapter 12: Stab to Reality**

Mikaela woke up feeling much better than the previous days, and he knew right away that his rut broke. He sighed in relief before groaning at the realization that he couldn't do… "stuff" with Yuuichirou anymore. As much as he hated to admit it, he liked― and enjoyed―the heated moments they shared yesterday and he was astounded that they managed to avoid having sex the whole time… even if Mikaela wanted to.

 _Yuu-chan is so amazing… or maybe because he is a beta…_

He hummed in thought. Sure, Yuuichirou was a beta and was very attentive to him to his needs, but the thing was that… his alpha senses already accepted the fact that there was no omega present for him to mate, therefore, rutting against Yuuichirou became a somewhat of an acceptable thing albeit temporarily. It's a complete win-win situation.

Yet, somehow… Mikaela felt like there was something more than that. But the way Yuuichirou was treating him, especially prior to giving him a blow job, was very affectionate almost like the beta was his…

 _Mate…_

Mikaela blushed before he sat up from his bed and ruffled his hair a bit. "Get your head out of the gutter. Yuu-chan clearly stated that he just wanted to help me, not to become my mate… Although…" The alpha twirled a lone strand of his hair shyly. "I wouldn't mind… having Yuu-chan…"

A dreamy smile appeared at his face and he got out of bed, looking forward to seeing Yuuichirou as he showered and dressed himself up.

He didn't know why, but he wanted to impress the beta today and what better to start that than to look his best.

* * *

"Good morning, Yuu-chan~! Are you feeling better?" Mikaela greeted cheerfully with his hair tied up and now wearing a beige turtleneck and denim blue pants as he walked towards the breakfast table with the beta's back facing him.

"Hmm…?" Yuuichirou, dressed with a black shirt and white pants, turned his head back a bit to see Mikaela before returning back to his work in slicing a ball of ham. "Uh, yeah. I'm good, Mika. Good morning, by the way."

The alpha's smile widened before he noticed that the beta wasn't wearing his white apron. He pouted a bit at the carelessness as he retrieved the cloth on the chair it was placed as he slowly approached Yuuichirou from behind. Once he was within reach, he leaned a bit so that he could whisper to Yuuichirou while his free hand went to the beta's hip, unaware at how the raven tensed at his touch.

"Yuu-chan, you forgot to wear your―"

But, Mikaela wasn't able to finish his sentence when he was suddenly hit by a very strong force that had him lying down hard on the table and made his vision blur for a bit. He winced at the pain as his sight cleared up and he was greeted with Yuuichirou on top angling the knife that he was using at him with his eyes red in anger. Mikaela blinked and stared both in confusion and in fear when he saw the beta looking at him with such intent as adrenaline rushed through his veins.

He had never seen Yuuichirou like this. It was like he was an entirely different person… and it was scary.

Mikaela had heard numerous rumors and stories where the eyes of betas would turn red just like alphas out of anger. But unlike alphas, betas weren't prone to rage as often as them, but when they did get angry on extreme levels, it always didn't end well for it often resulted to heavy bloodshed and mental instability on the beta's part. For him to see Yuuichirou like this was wholly shocking.

"Y-Yuu-chan…?" Mikaela started cautiously, unmoving. "I-It's me, Mika… Don't you remember, Yuu-chan?"

Yuuichirou didn't say anything yet as he stared down on Mikaela before closing his eyes, sucking in a breath. When he opened them again, they were green again though there were still hints of violet in his irises as he lowered down the knife and stepped back from the alpha.

"Sorry…" The beta apologized with his eyes covered by his bangs. "I thought that you were…" He glanced at Mikaela's still wary expression and turned his back on him out of shame. "Never mind. Just… don't do that again, please…"

"O… Okay…" Mikaela agreed softly while he got off from the table, watching the beta go back to the chopping board with the half sliced ball of ham on it.

He gulped as he took a seat on one of the chairs on the breakfast table with his body unconsciously becoming attentive of the raven being a possible death threat to his life. He didn't like feeling this way… especially towards Yuuichirou, but this was part of his body's defense mechanism from people who would attempt to harm him.

And it seems it would take a while for him to lower his walls on the beta after what occurred. It made him feel heavy.

 _What happened to you, Yuu-chan? Did what happen last night affect you so much?_

Mikaela thought back about last night, and he could've sworn Yuuichirou was also enjoying himself when he was pleasuring him, but in end… he was shedding tears, and Mikaela didn't know why.

Did he unintentionally hurt him when he was about to climax?

Did he pull his hair a bit too hard?

Did he choke?

A lot of possible situations roam in his mind. But in the first place, if Mikaela did any of those, then Yuuichirou would point it out straightaway without hesitation. The beta wasn't afraid of telling (or rather complaining) when the alpha was handling him so roughly or painfully because he was that frank.

But, with how secretive the beta was right now, he felt like he was being left in the dark because of it.

* * *

The silence was eerie, and Yuuichirou couldn't stand it. Just when he and Mikaela were on the brink of becoming friends, they were reverted back to becoming strangers all because he freaked out into thinking that Mikaela was Ferid, given with the way he was holding his hip. Because of it, he nearly stabbed him right in the face. The beta never felt so insecure and stupid before.

This was Mikaela Tepes, not Ferid Bathory! And he just hurt his feelings, and probably their relationship, because of a freaking remembrance of that bastard!

Yuuichirou hardened his grasp on his chopsticks and he risked a glance over to Mikaela across the table. The alpha had grown palpably guarded around him. The raven could sense it in his scent and aura, and it made Yuuichirou worry. How could he explain himself when he didn't trust Mikaela enough yet with his past? It would be… too dangerous on Yuuichirou's side.

So the best thing that the beta could do for now was to come up with an excuse. The alpha deserved to know why he was almost killed in the first place, after all, especially when he didn't do anything to make Yuuichirou angry.

"I'm sorry for what I did, Mika… I really am…" Yuuichirou apologized again and he sensed eyes on him immediately. "It was… kind of out of impulse…"

They were silent for a while before Mikaela spoke. "… Impulse? I don't think so…" The hint of suspicion in the alpha's voice made Yuuichirou flinch, but he didn't show it as the other continued. "You have grown accustomed to my touches since yesterday, Yuu-chan, and you were… fine. But, this is… actually the first time you reacted so violently to it. Did it have something to do with you running away last night?"

The beta's eyes widened a bit as he settled his chopsticks down. _Right… This guy is a medical intern. Of course he knows how to read psychological matters…_

Yuuichirou gulped as he began to feel uneasy because… he was right. The beta was very much okay yesterday when Mikaela was rutting against him and it was strange that his mind suddenly remembered what Ferid did to him in voice alone. It was short and unexpected, yet it was enough to make him feel _extremely_ dirty and violated all over again.

What exactly made his brain trigger that memory when there wasn't anything that resembled Ferid close by?

 _Does Mika perhaps…_

Yuuichirou eyed the alpha across the table who he caught staring closely at him, and that raised a blush on his cheeks in an instant. He cleared his throat as he answered Mikaela's question with a small bit of honesty. He didn't have it within him to lie to the alpha. Strange. "Y-Yes… It has something to do with that…"

"I see…"

They were silent again and Yuuichirou squirmed in his seat uncomfortably as Mikaela returned back to mechanically eat his breakfast. This situation was becoming too awkward for the both of them and it was suffocating.

 _And all because I thought of that leech…_ Yuuichirou grounded his teeth inside his mouth as a frown made its way to his face while he shook his head a bit. _No, no… Don't think of him. Think of the situation right now, Yuu. Think of Mika._

The beta glanced over to Mikaela again while his mind began to think of numerous ways to elevate this huge ass barrier between them. But he couldn't think of anything! There were no ideas coming in, and this made Yuuichirou fall to a swirl of panic. He had to do something, but he couldn't exactly just go all sentimental on Mikaela right off the bat and reveal things of his past openly like it was nothing.

Doing so obviously came with a horrible prize and Yuuichirou couldn't afford to have that. Not again, especially to Mikaela. The alpha saved his life and did a lot of nice things for him. It felt very wrong to have this… this kind of atmosphere with him… especially after all that heated intimacy they shared within the last two days.

That made a pleasant shiver run down Yuuichirou's spine and an idea came up to his mind almost immediately because of it which made his eyes widen at the realization.

 _So there's only one thing to do…_

It wasn't like this was their first time doing this. They did it a lot of times actually, but the intent this time was different. It wouldn't be all about trivial matters. It would be all about mending this hole in their relationship that Yuuichirou unintentionally place in a whim.

Pursing his lips, Yuuichirou inhaled deeply before he looked at Mikaela across the table, his eyes determined to get this silent dispute between them out of the way.

"Mika…" He began slowly as adrenaline slowly flowed in his veins and a pair of blue eyes met his stare. "Do you want to, uh… go out on a d-da… hangout with me?"

Yuuichirou inwardly grimaced at that awful excuse of an invitation as a blush made its way on his cheeks. It was extremely embarrassing, but if this would patch things up between them, then why the fuck not? The beta would gladly throw his pride away for it if it meant having his relationship with Mikaela back.

Mikaela blinked in surprise and a small smile curved on his lips. "Don't you mean… date, Yuu-chan?"

"Hangout. H-A-N-G-O-U-T. Hangout." The raven specified. No way was he going to claim this one as a date. They weren't even on that level of their relationship! "Do you want to hangout?"

"You don't have to repeat it, Yuu-chan. Jeez…" The alpha chuckled as he settled his utensils down. "And besides… Aren't we already hanging out? It's just the two of us in this apartment room, after all."

"I-I mean… Go out. Out!" Yuuichirou's blush raised to his ears as he pointed randomly on a wall that he knew was the outside in the opposite end. "Let's go out and hangout! I mean—Ugh!" He covered his face with a hand as his other hand raked through his black hair.

 _Goddammit! What the fuck happened to my vocabulary?!_

The beta wanted to slam his head repeatedly on a wall at how ridiculous he sounded. He must have looked stupid as well, given the way Mikaela was trying to hold in his laughter. But, despite the mild humiliation, Yuuichirou was relieved that Mikaela was reacting this way. It gave him a sense of assurance.

 _Well… At least the tension between us is gone…_

Yuuichirou couldn't help the smile forming on his lips at the accomplishment while the alpha tried to control his shaking body from laughing. It took a while for Mikaela to finally settle down with a sigh as a wide smile spread on his lips and it made Yuuichirou's heart jump once their eyes met, and Mikaela spoke.

"Sure. Why not?"

* * *

 _This is just a hangout, not a date, Yuu. Get that to your head._

Yuuichirou reminded himself as he and Mikaela walked side by side in a sidewalk going to Louvre-Rivoli. It was midday, and the traffic and people were vast, so it was very easy to get lost in the sea of people when Yuuichirou wasn't attentive enough. Because of this, the beta had this strong urge to hold something from Mikaela. He had been eyeing the alpha's hand for a while now, but he restrained himself because they weren't dating. They weren't even a couple.

But, he couldn't help the worry overcoming his mind. What if he and Mikaela separated by chance? What if his captors were around? He didn't even bring his guns around to defend himself, much less a survival knife or a taser in his pockets. He could kick their asses with martial arts alone and his charms, but what if one of them has a gun or a knife?

 _Shit… I haven't thought this through… Dad will be so pissed…_

As Yuuichirou was pondering over to his carelessness, Mikaela was looking at him with concern. The aura the beta was radiating clearly showed that he was restless about something, and the fact that he had a frown was evident. This was supposed to be a hangout, so why was Yuuichirou on the edge? What was he thinking about?

"Yuu-chan?"

Yuuichirou didn't hear his name being called as he continued to walk until Mikaela grabbed him by the arm. He flinched and he turned to look at Mikaela with surprise in his eyes. "W-What? What is it, Mika?"

"You're thinking about something way too deeply. I can sense it in your aura."

"O-Oh…" The beta flustered at this and he looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry. It's just that…" Yuuichirou looked up at Mikaela before whispering. "For the first time, I didn't actually bring anything to defend myself…"

"Defend yourself? Do you mean your—Oh…" Mikaela paused when the realization dawned on him.

That was really a first. Yuuichirou never left the apartment without a hint of a gun, a knife or a taser hidden (very) well in his clothes. Hearing him admit that was sort of shocking because Yuuichirou never forgot to bring those, but at the same time, it made something flick inside Mikaela.

"That's okay, Yuu-chan. I'll be with you, so you don't have to worry much." The alpha promised him with a reassuring smile as he settled his hands on Yuuichirou's arms. He knew what he was getting into as he spoke the next line proudly. "I'll protect you with my life."

 _With his life?! Is he serious?!_

The declaration to protect him stunned Yuuichirou since alphas weren't one to just give their protection away to anyone, unless it was their mate. They made sure that the person worth protecting would give them something that benefits them. It was a complete give-and-take situation.

To hear Mikaela say that he would protect Yuuichirou with his _life_ made the beta blush and his heart instantly warmed up, yet Yuuichirou hesitated. "But, Mika, I don't… What's in it for me? What did I do to deserve such?"

Mikaela blinked. "What do you mean?"

"Mika, you're an alpha." Yuuichirou stated with a serious look, though there was still a small hint of pink on his cheeks. "You can't just say that to anyone. An alpha's protection is like a blessing to both betas and omegas, but of course, there is a catch." The beta paused for a while. "… You want something from me."

That startled Mikaela. He didn't mean it that way, good heavens, no. In truth, Yuuichirou didn't have anything Mikaela wanted because the alpha was contented with what he already had… unless it was his consent of becoming his mate (something which he would gladly take).

Just how wide was this discrimination between the statuses going on?

"I don't want anything from you, Yuu-chan. I want to protect you because I want to." Mikaela explained, not missing Yuuichirou's breath hitching. "You don't have to give me anything to earn it."

"But, Mika, that's not how…"

"I don't care." The alpha replied with a small shake of his head. "I don't care what you might have read or heard about alphas, but I'm not that kind of person. I'm sure you knew this the entire time we were together."

Indeed, Yuuichirou knew. Mikaela was just stating the obvious, but it served as a reminder for him. It was a clear way of saying that Mikaela was wholly different than any other alphas. Yuuichirou knew that, and yet he thought that Mikaela was like them; proud, selfish, arrogant and extremely vain. To have Mikaela tell that to him was like a wakeup call for Yuuichirou.

"… I'm sorry. I just… Sorry." The beta apologized, looking ashamed. "It was because of what happened to me before that I think of alphas in a negative way, and I completely forgot who I was talking to." Yuuichirou raised his head a bit to give Mikaela a look that spoke of his need for forgiveness. "Please… Forgive me…"

Mikaela smiled before he leaned down and gave Yuuichirou a soft kiss on his nose, not minding the many eyes they were attracting because of their display. "I had already forgiven you when you asked me out, Yuu-chan."

Yuuichirou sighed in relief though he could feel Mikaela's curiosity on his past growing. He would tell it to him soon… No, make that sooner. With Mikaela's reassurance and comfort, Yuuichirou felt like he could open up to him with nothing holding him back. This was a first, and it made the beta's heart thump pleasingly in his chest as a newfound feeling came into him.

 _Ah... I think I've fallen in love…_

Yuuichirou knew he wasn't supposed to, but he couldn't help himself as he relished their closeness and their now warm, entwined hands.

* * *

And that is the last of the chapters, whew! The story is still a work in progress and it's usually uploaded first in AO3 than here because of reasons. So, please read and review. I want to know what you guys think of the story. :) And I'll definitely leave author's notes to warn you this time.


	13. Old Colleagues

Hiya~! Here is the latest chappie~! Enjoy and please R&R~!

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Old Colleagues**

A week; a week passed since Yuuichirou's last call, Guren counted. It wasn't like his son to call him after such a long duration of hiatus since he was a beta. If he were any other, Guren would have understood since last week was mating season. The rescue mission for Yuuichirou was postponed because of it and it was a very good reason for him to be so pissed off right now.

So, once Yuuichirou called him, Guren attacked him with over thousands and thousands of questions about his whereabouts with a firm voice. But being him, he took all of it calmly.

"I'm fine, Dad, really." His beta son assured him, sounding exhausted at the other end. "I'm sorry that I wasn't able to call you at all last week. I was… busy."

"And can you clarify what made you busy last week, Yuu?" Guren asked back with his brows slightly furrowed. His patience was running thin. "Do you have any idea how worried I was when you didn't call me? And, for a week, no less?"

"I know, and I'm sorry again." Yuuichirou repeated with sarcastic emphasize and Guren heard the sound of faint shuffling on the line before his son continued. "It's just… I've been touring around France lately to get the hang of the place. You know… So that there wouldn't be any problems if a chase might occur."

"Touring…? You barely know the French language. How can you be touring?"

Yuuichirou became silent for a while, as if he was contemplating about something before he spoke again, his voice barely audible like a whisper. "… I met someone."

Guren blinked, astonished. "… Someone?"

"Yeah… He… He was kind enough to show me around…"

The Prime Minister raised a brow when he caught a hint of shyness in Yuuichirou's voice. Was he hearing right or were his ears broken? Because Guren knew damn well that he rarely heard Yuuichirou sound like that before. Most of the times that he would sound this shy was only when he was embarrassed.

"… Yuu, I hope you're not letting yourself as an easy prey for those unbounded people out there."

Yuuichirou coughed. "W-What?! Of course not! Who do you think I am?! I would never let myself be that defenseless!"

"What? I was just saying." Guren shrugged as a small smile curved on his lips at his son's reaction.

"W-Well, shut up about it!" The beta sputtered, and Guren could have sworn that Yuuichirou was blushing at the other side. "B-Besides... I'm engaged to wed Shinoa soon, so..."

At the mere mention of his son's engagement, Guren's expression turned slightly grim as he stood up from his red, velvet chair in order to stand in front of the window overlooking the Ichinose gardens with his phone still on his ear.

"Hmm, indeed, you are, Yuu. But you know why you had to do it…" The beta's violet eyes scanned the area, watching Shihou and Mitsuba talking to some of his men for the rescue mission. "Your marriage to Shinoa will strengthen the Hiiragi-Ichinose ties, which in turn, will be very beneficial on both sides since we are one of the most powerful families in Japan."

"I…" Yuuichirou started slowly, his voice slightly quivering, before he continued. "I know, Dad… You don't have to remind me."

Guren closed his eyes for a while and inhaled softly. Despite Yuuichirou's attempt to sound firm, he could clearly hear his unhappiness about his arranged marriage with a Hiiragi. It wasn't that Yuuichirou didn't like Shinoa or anything. In fact, they were childhood playmates in the past and Yuuichirou learned to love her even if Shinoa did so many humiliating things on him in those times.

But the thing was that, Yuuichirou never saw Shinoa as more than a playmate and a loyal friend no matter how many times they socialize. That was more than enough proof for Guren to know that his son will never love Shinoa in a romantic sense. But, as Prime Minister and as the right hand of the Emperor of Japan, the arranged marriage between the two was very convenient for the two families and there wasn't anything strong enough to interfere with it… unless one of them found someone who they truly love.

And Guren silently hoped that one day, Yuuichirou would find someone worthy of his heart soon.

Opening his eyes slowly, Guren sighed as he ruffled his hair a bit. "Sorry for bringing that up, Yuu. It's just that we haven't been talking about this topic for a very long time now, especially since you're on the verge of becoming twenty. You know what's going to happen once you reach that age…"

"I know, Dad." His son answered almost immediately, sounding as if he didn't want Guren to continue his sentence. "I know…"

"… I see." Guren paused for a while. With how desperate Yuuichirou sounded, he had a feeling that this conversation would have to wait for the time being, so Guren decided to end it to spare his son the ache. "We'll discuss this further once you come back home safe and sound. For now, I'm glad that you're still alright."

"… Yeah."

"I have preparations to make. Call me soon, okay?"

Yuuichirou grunted in reply before Guren ended the call. The beta sighed tiredly and was about to sit on his chair when his cellphone vibrated and rang in his hand. Guren nearly jumped in surprise at the sudden upbeat tone. He looked over to the screen to check who was calling him, but to his shock, it was an unknown number.

Guren raised a brow.

 _Who…?_

Accepting the call, Guren placed his phone near his ear to answer. "… Hello? Who is this?"

"Guren-coo~ It's been a while~ Did you miss me~?"

The beta flinched at the voice, instantly recognizing who was at the other line as he let out a growl under his breath. "Ferid…"

"Oooh~ What a scary tone you have there, Guren-coo. That's not a nice way to reply back to a friend you haven't met for a very long time." Ferid's sickening voice purred on the line and Guren could feel goosebumps forming on his skin.

"Ex-friend." The Prime Minister corrected solidly. "And never call me in that nickname, you bastard."

"But that's what I always called you when we were still in Medicine School. If I remembered correctly, you actually liked being called that way."

"That was before you became a complete psycho…!" Guren's brow twitched in anger and his fingers gripped on his phone the more he talked to this man.

"Psycho?" Ferid mused. "My, Guren-coo, I didn't know that you would think of me that way. You wound my heart."

"I could care less about your fucking heart." Guren answered sharply, his voice laced with obvious wrath for the other. "And why are you calling me anyway?"

The alpha hummed in the line. "Dirty tongued and straight to the point as always. Ah, you never change~"

"Answer the damn question, Ferid."

"Hmhm, very well." Guren could feel Ferid smirking as he continued. "I heard that… dear, little Yuu is in France for the world meeting so I thought of visiting him since I was also in that country as well. It'll be like… a small reunion between the two of us."

Guren's blood immediately ran cold after Ferid said and his mind began to sort out the puzzle pieces together. The sabotage, the sniper, the kidnapping… Everything was starting to make sense now and the beta ground his teeth at the realization as he slammed a hand down on his table.

"You asshole!" He screeched with his voice raising. "Don't you dare go near him again! I'll send you to the damn pentagon, or better yet, I'll fucking kill you with my own hands if I have to!"

His threat seemed to do nothing because Ferid was laughing at the other end, seemingly unaffected.

"Ah~ What a passionate attitude you have, Guren-coo~ One of the perks of being a good dad to his beautiful son~" The alpha praised with a sadistic smile in his tone.

"Don't put 'beautiful' and 'Yuu' together in that tone of voice, you…"

"Ahaha~ You've grown quite overprotective. You used to be such a lazy person with a brilliant mind that I couldn't compete with who managed to attract women here and there. Hmm, I wonder what brought this on…"

Guren grimaced at the feigned obliviousness that his former colleague voiced out, and the need to punch something was reaching its peak. "You know why I'm this way, you damn rapist."

"Oh, my… You couldn't exactly call me a rapist when it was purely out of instinct, Guren-coo." Ferid pointed out. "It's nature and you know well that you couldn't defy something like that."

"Bullshit!" The Prime Minister nearly screamed as the scowl on his face deepened, and his aura and scent were growing potent with rage. "You're an alpha, the highest status of the hierarchy! You have what we call self-control even if you were in rut! Don't you dare go all 'it's nature, so it couldn't be helped' on me! That's a load of crap!"

"Then, why did my dear sister have to suffer carrying that bastard's child for nine months if it isn't nature, much less raise him to adulthood, Guren? Tell me."

Something in Ferid's sudden change of voice made Guren tense and the question caught him off guard, yet he remained firm. "What happened to Krul and to Yuu are two different stories, Ferid. We all didn't know that Krul would even… do it with some guy in the graduation party since we are all drunk."

"But that didn't change the fact that it could have been prevented." The alpha pointed out. "You were there, and I trusted you to be with her when I couldn't. Yet you…"

 _Oh, so that is where this is going…_

Guren combed back his hair while sighing tiredly. "Look… If you're looking for an apology, you already had it."

"—But that's not enough!" Ferid yelled and Guren winced a bit at the loud volume. "Do you really think words of repentance could turn everything back and stop what had happened?! My sister's virginity was taken against her consent, for God's sake! Can't you see that, Guren?!"

"I know, and I'm sorry that happened!" The Prime Minister said. "But that didn't give you any right to do the same with Yuu! You just ruined the life of a minor!"

"Oh, please…" Ferid scoffed, displeased. "You didn't care at that time when my sister's life became a wreck, so why should I care if the same thing happened to your son?"

"Goddammit, Ferid, were you even thinking at all?! If you want revenge, then you should do it to me, not to my son!"

"But then… It wouldn't give me the satisfying results I wanted." The alpha explained with a dark chuckle that was enough to make Guren's skin crawl while he continued. "Beating you up and shouting verbal insults at you are easy to forget since the pain is purely physical. I want something that could leave a permanent scar on you. I want to destroy you mentally and emotionally, Guren. And what easier way to obtain such than to break down your precious, innocent, little son…"

Guren was breathing heavily as his eyes steadily changed color from violet to the faintest shades of red. "… Stop it. This isn't the way to do things, Ferid. You're making a terrible mistake."

"I'm not making a mistake, Guren. It never was. I'm only returning the favor of your carelessness that happened that gravely cost my sister's dreams." Ferid stated. "I think they famously call this thing… karma, and, oh, how it hurts like a bitch."

The Prime Minister gritted his teeth to control himself from throwing his phone across the room or at the window while his irises eventually turned crimson red. "Well, you succeeded three years ago. There, happy?"

"Hm… But look at you. You're still standing high and proud as the renowned Prime Minister of Japan. You aren't on your knees and crying a fountain like I always wanted to see."

"It's called moving on, Ferid." Guren emphasized. "It's a thing that you should have done instead of indulging yourself to illegal experiments that could endanger your life and others. I highly recommend it, especially with this unhealthy, incestuous crush you have on Krul."

Ferid sneered. "That attitude won't get you anywhere, Guren. It makes me wonder how on earth sweet Sayuri goes by with you as her husband."

"How could you possibly understand when you aren't married yourself?"

That question made Ferid laugh a bit. "You're right. I don't understand the happiness and joy of settling down and getting married, however… I didn't need it. Especially when I'm more focused on torturing you and seeing you suffer."

"Talking to you now is already a torture as it is. Seeing you in person would be even more devastating."

"You say that, but you were the one responsible for my bail."

"I did that because I believe you deserved a second chance, Ferid." The beta explained. "Consider that action as a last resort from the friendship I held with you."

"Heh…" Ferid hummed in amusement. "How nice and innocent, but a naïve move on your part, Guren. A stupid one."

"I realized." The Prime Minister agreed. "And I'm going to fix that real soon."

"Soon? That's too long, Guren." The alpha mocked. "If I were you, I wouldn't wait that long… especially when your enemy is now tracking down your son in France. Oh, wait… I'm already there. I just need to find him which will be an easy thing to do~ You better start running now because time is ticking and who knows? Maybe I already have dear Yuu with me in the next hour, all bound up, gagged and naked like before as I take him over and over again and knot him as mine~"

Guren clicked his tongue in ire while Ferid chuckled in glee as he continued. "Ah… You have no idea how Yuu was so obedient at that time, always taking it and moaning like a slut begging for more. It was really flattering to have such a partner who does what they were told to do and never question it."

"He wasn't obeying you in his own will, asshole." The beta clarified and he clutched onto his phone so hard, that it was slightly cracking. "You drugged him into submission without his consent."

"And I'll do that again when I find him~" Ferid said in a cheerful voice that he knew would push Guren's buttons. "You better hurry if you want to see your dear son unscathed, Guren-coo~"

With a laugh, Ferid ended the call and left a beeping sound in Guren's phone. The beta was staring down on his maple wood table with his eyes still in its deep red hue as he lowered his hand. His mind had turned blank and his body was still, numbing all of his senses with a white noise.

It was only when someone opened his office door did he slowly snap back to reality. His nose picked up the familiar scents of Shihou and Mitsuba entering.

"Guren-san, everything is going along smoothly. We just need your—"

Then, a very loud smash was heard and Shihou and Mitsuba jumped in attention as their eyes took in the sight of an enraged Guren breaking his desk in half with only a fist. Mitsuba couldn't help the faint squeak that left her mouth and she instinctually went behind Shihou out of fear for the Prime Minister's anger.

"G-Guren-san…? Is there something wrong?" Shihou's voice shook a bit as he blinked in shock, never believing the scene that just transpired before them.

"Yes, there is, Kimizuki." Guren's gruff voice sounded malevolent enough for Shihou to turn pale like a sheet.

"P-Pray tell what is bothering you, Sir."

"Everything." The Prime Minister straightened up and eyed Yuu's bodyguards with his red eyes slowly returning back to violet. "Like… why the hell are we still here when Yuu is in danger in France?"

"W-Well, it was mating season last week and the bonded employees were—"

"I'm not referring to that, damn it!" Guren snapped and he threw his now broken phone on the ground, breaking the device into pieces. "Why are we still here?! What is taking the preparations so goddamn long?!"

"W-We need your approval first before we go, Sir."

"Bull crap! I don't have time for this!" Guren screamed as he grabbed his sword, Mahiru-No-Yo, in its place by the display on the wall. "We are leaving now!"

Shihou and Mitsuba blinked in surprise. "Now?"

" **Stat!** " The older beta ordered powerfully as he began to walk away from his office.

Shihou and Mitsuba looked at each other for a bit with confusion evident in the both of them before they followed Guren silently behind him.

* * *

Ferid was toying on the gag ball in his hand when his phone vibrated in an upcoming message. Curious, he picked it up to look at the sender and he smiled fondly when he read the name of his sister on the screen.

 _Now, what did she texted me with?_

The alpha opened the message to read.

Big brother! I have good news! Can you believe that I'm going to have a fashion show in France within two days?! Oh my gosh! I'm so excited! I'll be seeing you and Mika again and we'll be spending time together as a family! I can't wait! I missed you two a whole lot! 333

Ferid twitched angrily at the mention of his nephew, but he calmed himself in order to reply back.

Really? That's great! I can't wait to see you too, Krul~ And Mika-kun, too~

He nearly grimaced at his fake excitement of seeing Krul's son in person. More than anything, he wanted to strangulate the boy to death because he looked like the bastard who took advantage of Krul for one night and left her crying the next day with a broken heart and the heavy responsibility of raising a child as her own.

But for Krul's sake, Ferid stilled himself and dubiously accepted Mikaela into the family even if he had the intent of killing him every time they would see each other.

 _I would do anything for her… Anything for Krul…_

He reminded himself as he looked over to the map and papers that decorated his hotel room wall, and he furrowed his brows as his eyes wander around the different locations in France.

Ferid may have bluffed Guren into finding his son in the call, but in actuality, he was no where close to finding Yuuichirou. After the attack in his nephew's mansion, he just suddenly disappeared without a trace… along with Mikaela it seemed.

…

...

Then, Ferid's eyes widened and his expression was replaced with a creepy smile at his discovery.

 _Of course… Why haven't I thought of this sooner? If memory served me right… Yuu is a very kindhearted person, a personality trait taken from his mother, Sayuri. And because Guren is his father, Yuu can also be a stubborn one. And after what had happened in my nephew's place, Yuu felt like it is his responsibility to make sure that Mika-kun is safe. It was also proven true with the hidden camera recorder I placed on Lacus. Therefore, without a doubt… Yuu is with Mika-kun right now, and Krul's fashion show is within two days too._

The alpha smiled in triumph at what he realized as he reached out to unstick a picture of Mikaela from the wall, his maroon eyes gazing down at the boy's appearance in the photo.

"Oh, Mika-kun… Who knew that one of the beings I hate would be the key to my victory? It was completely ironic, yet a very pleasant surprise." Ferid muttered slyly before he crumpled the photo in his hands and threw it in the trash bin.


	14. Locked Away

**Chapter 14: Locked Away**

Yuuichirou was troubled.

No matter how many times the beta said he was alright, he didn't look the part at all. His green eyes looked a bit dull and he would have this faraway look all the time. It was distressing Mikaela to see Yuuichirou like this, and the alpha wanted nothing more than for the beta to cheer up even for a bit.

 _The call yesterday must have been grave if Yuu-chan is acting like this…_

That was the only reason Mikaela could find because he knew that he didn't do anything to upset Yuuichirou yesterday. He remembered the way Yuuichirou paled at one point while he was having a conversation with his father after all of his apologizing and random defensive yelling. Even if the alpha couldn't hear it, he knew that Yuuichirou's voice was quivering, but from what?

Mikaela could ask the beta about it, but out of respect, he decided to drop the topic off because he could clearly tell that Yuuichirou didn't want to talk about it. It would irritate the raven if Mikaela were to pry in his private matters.

So, for now, the alpha did what he could only do, and that was to keep his mind out of that event and remain oblivious. Yet, he had this urge to comfort Yuuichirou. The beta had faced enough problems during his stay in France (though he wasn't sure if his rutting season was counted) and almost died at one point. And Mikaela felt like it was a part of his responsibility to lighten Yuuichirou's mood.

"Hey, Yuu-chan…" He called out tentatively, his eyes glancing at the raven looking over at the glass window of the living room with that faraway look again. "Do you want to… go out for a bit to get some fresh air?"

The reason sounded pretty stupid, but Mikaela found Yuuichirou nodding his head slowly.

"Yeah…" The beta turned his head away from the window, and to the alpha's surprise, he had a small smile on his face when he looked at him. "Yeah, I would love that, Mika."

The alpha sighed in relief that Yuuichirou at least accepted his invitation and he stood up from the couch before approaching the raven and tugged his hand gently. "Then, let's go. I know the perfect place for it."

Yuuichirou blinked in surprise, but he didn't say anything as Mikaela led him to the door and eventually to the outside of their apartment.

* * *

"Wow…" Yuuichirou gasped in amazement at the place Mikaela led him to: the infamous Pont des Arts Bridge. It looked exactly what Guren had taken a photo of with his mother during his visit.

His green eyes excitedly looked on the different kinds of locks all attached on the wired bridge, each lock in a different shape, size and color. All of them glimmered brightly in the late afternoon sun. It was beautiful; a complete masterpiece.

"This is awesome! Look at all of these locks, Mika." The beta said as he bent over to hold a random lock that had the initials of a couple and a date on when the couple first started dating. "I've never seen so many of them."

"Well, that's what this bridge is famous for." Mikaela chuckled as he looked over at Yuuichirou's giddiness. He neared him and bent over the same level as the beta. "They say that couples who vowed to be together until the very end buy a lock with their initials imprinted on it as well as the date they officially started going out and go here. The lock symbolizes the faithfulness of their love together."

Yuuichirou curiously peeked over to Mikaela as he slowly let go of the lock he was holding. "But, what about the key? Every lock comes with a key, after all."

"… They throw the key beyond this very bridge, Yuu-chan."

"And no one picks them up?"

The alpha laughed. "No. That would defeat the purpose of the lock."

The raven hummed in wonder. "But, if what you're saying is true… How can you be certain that the couples who have their locks here end up together until the very end?"

"… No one knows for sure." Mikaela shrugged as he straightened up. "Although… I've heard that if couples do have troubles in their relationship, they would go here and reconcile."

"Is… that so…" Yuuichirou slowly straightened up with a small smile on his face. "That sounds wonderful…"

And he did that look again.

His green eyes looked over the horizon across the bridge, his black hair and blue scarf swaying along the gentle breeze of early dusk as he slowly placed his hands on the grid. Yuuichirou breathed in deeply as he closed his eyes, trying to calm his beating heart at what he was about to say.

He knew what he was about to confess would be surprising to the blond. Yuuichirou wanted to keep his engagement a secret for as long as he could, but with the new feelings that were starting to bloom inside, he knew that he couldn't hide it anymore.

If anything, Yuuichirou wanted to be honest with Mikaela from now on. And he was slowly getting there, despite the pain that might come along with it.

"Mika," He started, not turning to look at the alpha beside him as he continued. "There's… something that I forgot to tell you about myself during the whole time we stayed together…"

Mikaela blinked. "Oh?"

Blue eyes started at him, coaxing him to continue, and Yuuichirou bit his lips to control his emotions. His hands were starting to tremble and it was getting to difficult to spit the words out. But he stood firm.

"I…" Yuuichirou clenched his teeth and he hunched his shoulders a bit as he confessed. "Mika, I have a fiancée back home."

Mikaela's eyes widened in disbelief when he heard the news, and he could have sworn his heart stopped beating for a while. Yuuichirou was engaged this whole time?

 _… What?_

"Are you… Are you telling me that you're engaged?" The blond repeated.

"Y-Yes… To an omega…"

Now that just made Mikaela's heart squeeze painfully in his chest. "And you didn't tell me this whole time, why?"

"I… I thought it wasn't important b-because I assumed that we wouldn't see each other again." The beta explained as he let go of the grid to look at Mikaela with his eyes glimmering with unshed tears. "A-And then… it slipped from my mind the more I spend time with you. It… It only came back to me because of what happened yesterday…"

"… Do you mean the call with your father?"

Yuuichirou nodded and sniffled softly. "I… I'm sorry that I have to tell it to you now… I should have told you about it for a very long time."

"No…" Mikaela murmured as he took hold of one of Yuuichirou's hands and gave the beta a warm smile. "It's alright, Yuu-chan. Thank you for telling me."

But, deep down, the alpha didn't feel alright. He felt heavy and sick. Was this how Yuuichirou felt after the call? Mikaela felt like he had just been stabbed in the chest badly, and he fought the anguish that was beginning to take form.

Yet, wasn't the alpha the same as well?

He too had kept the same secret from Yuuichirou. To have the beta confess this thing, it was only fair he do the same as well.

"… Yuu-chan, you're not the only one who is engaged."

The raven blinked with surprise evident in his features. "M-Mika… Are you telling me that you're also…"

"Yes, but I don't think it will last…" Mikaela admitted as he drew close to Yuuichirou. "My engagement with my fiancée was only on a whim because our statuses compel with each other. But other than that, I only see her as a little sister figure and nothing more."

"… So you still have a chance." The beta said almost bitterly as he averted his eyes away. "My engagement, on the other hand… is arranged by my family and that of the Emperor's."

Mikaela thought he stopped breathing for a moment there. "You're going to wed… one of the Emperor's children?"

"Yes… The arrangement was made in order to strengthen not only the family ties between us, but also to improve the economy of Japan. It's… a marriage only for convenience, and because of the relations we have, it is very hard to break such since the Ichinose's are one of the loyal families serving the Emperor's clan."

Yuuichirou wiped his eyes and breathed in deeply. "Mika, I―"

Before the beta could continue anymore, Mikaela leaned in and claimed his lips in a kiss with his hands on Yuuichirou's scarf to pull him close. The raven tensed at the surprise, but he immediately relaxed in the touch as he closed his eyes and let the tears finally fall out to his face. This was painful and heartbreaking, yet the beta melted into the alpha's arms as Mikaela kissed him more.

The alpha pulled back a bit with a sorrowful look on his face as he stared down on the beta's weeping face. "Don't cry, Yuu-chan. It hurts me to see you like this."

"How can I not cry, Mika?" Yuuichirou sobbed as more tears run down his cheeks and he was gulping air. It was difficult to breathe. "I'll be spending my whole life with someone who I don't truly love with all my heart. I… I don't want that. It's not fair. I… I…"

"Shh…" Mikaela cooed as he pulled Yuuichirou into a hug and rubbed his back gently to calm him down. "It's alright. It's alright…"

The beta clenched on the alpha's coat as his body quivered from his crying. Mikaela closed his eyes as hugged the raven tighter as his own eyes shed their own tears silently, agonizingly acknowledging that Yuuichirou could never be his.

It hurt, but it was the inevitable truth.

And Mikaela accepted it despite the ache throbbing inside.

* * *

Apparently, Yuuichirou cried himself to sleep after that moment. The beta was snoozing softly in Mikaela's arms while he was being carried back to their apartment room. Yuuichirou looked so wounded even after he had calmed down. It was palpable with his tear-stained face and uneven breathing.

He was a wreck, and Mikaela was no different.

"Yuu-chan…" The alpha whispered his name as he laid the beta down on the couch so that he could take off his scarf and coat.

As his hand lingered on Yuuichirou's coat, a warm hand overlapped his and he looked up to see the beta awake with his eyes half-lidded. Even if he had cried his heart out a while ago, he looked somewhat attractive like this, Mikaela admitted.

"Mika," Yuuichirou's raspy, breathless voice sent a jolt in the alpha's spine as he continued. "Thank you… for everything today. I really needed it. I'm sorry that you had to see me like this."

"It's okay, Yuu-chan. We all need to vent out and have a good cry once in a while, so I understand."

Yuuichirou smiled weakly at that as he slowly sat up on the couch. "It's strange, Mika… How do you always know what I want when I needed it? I didn't even tell you anything about the conversation I have with my father…"

"Your actions were pretty obvious, Yuu-chan." Mikaela explained as he sat beside Yuuichirou. "You may not know it, but I was observing you. It's easy to tell if something is wrong because you don't act like yourself."

"… I guess I was." The beta sighed tiredly as his hand laced with Mikaela's. "I'm sorry… I must have been a burden for you."

"No, you're not. Don't blame yourself."

"But, Mika…"

"Yuu-chan," Mikaela turned his head as he let his other hand touch Yuuichirou's cheek to let them face each other. "You were never a burden. I accepted everything that may happen when I came with you on my own free will. So don't you dare think of yourself as a problem."

Yuuichirou fretted. "But because of me your car, your mansion and your internship, even your life were―"

The beta was silenced once again with a kiss on his lips. He let out a surprised squeak as his eyes widened a bit at the sudden intimate act. However, he never pushed the alpha back and Yuuichirou found himself pressing back into the kiss, softly moaning and begging for more contact.

He knew that he shouldn't even be doing this, but it suddenly seemed that everything fell into a serene calm whenever he was like this with Mikaela. It was like nothing else mattered except for this moment he was now sharing with the alpha. It felt like he was saved even if it was only temporary, and Yuuichirou felt like crying again simply at how perfect it was.

"Mika…" He murmured as soon as they pulled back for a bit. His mind was dazed and his body hot with traces of arousal that was beginning to intensify the more he stared into those deep blue eyes looking at him with the same amount of fervor. It made his skin prickle pleasantly and the urge to do something sensual with the alpha was there, yet remnants of what happened to him with Ferid hinder Yuuichirou to express what he wanted from Mikaela.

The memories of it sent a shiver down on the beta's spine, and before he knew it, he was already trembling before the blond with his head hung low as his eyes stung with fresh tears.

Mikaela silently stared at Yuuichirou as he broke down. He didn't know why the beta was reacting this way when he felt a tang of desire from him a second ago. Did he do something bad?

"Yuu-chan, what's wrong? Tell me, please…" He coaxed him as he rubbed his thumb on Yuuichirou's cheek tenderly.

"I… I can't…" Yuuichirou shakily said as his face became wet for the second time that day. "I can't, Mika… I want to... I want to so much, b-but I can't… I-I'm sorry…"

"Shh, it's alright. Come here."

Mikaela opened his arms welcomingly wide and the beta didn't hesitate to throw himself at the alpha and hug him like his life depended on it. He felt like he was drowning as his tears soaked Mikaela's shirt and his sobs choked his breaths. Yuuichirou should feel bothered that he was showing his fragile side to Mikaela, but he couldn't bring himself to care. Not when the alpha was hugging him back and making him feel so secure in his warmth.

He felt hand raking on his hair and massaging his scalp gently as a weight land on the junction of his neck where his scent glands were. Yuuichirou's breath hitched and he tensed when Mikaela nuzzled on his skin, emitting his scent in the open and making the raven whimper.

"M-Mika…"

"… Yuu-chan, can I scent you for tonight?" The alpha asked with a hint of possessiveness in his voice as he gave Yuuichirou's neck a lick.

Yuuichirou sniffed to catch his breath in between cries as he nodded slowly. He could at least give Mikaela that much.

"Yes…" He muttered, sounding almost breathless. "Please… I… I want your scent on me, even if it's only for this moment…"

Mikaela let out a soft growl before he pulled on Yuuichirou's shirt collar for a bit and rubbed himself, his nose smelling the blend of apples and vanilla sugar on the beta the more he stroked his scent glands. The alpha's eyes dilated deliberately in want and he lowered his head down a bit to suck on Yuuichirou's skin after he scented him, the alpha inside him wanting to claim the raven despite his status.

The beta gasped and let out a low moan as his back arched in reaction, his chest meeting Mikaela's as he felt lips and tongue on his skin. Lust was gradually clouding his senses the more Mikaela ravished his scent glands that were becoming sensitive as he continued to lick and nip it. He quivered and his hold on Mikaela's shirt tightened as the alpha shifted to lay Yuuichirou on the couch.

Instinctually, Yuuichirou spread his thighs to accompany Mikaela for easier access as the alpha continued to give kisses and light bites on the beta with their scents mingling between them. Yuuichirou's quiet sobs eventually turned into faint pants and he tilted his head back to have more of that warm, wet pleasure that was Mikaela's mouth on him while his mind became blank.

He felt the alpha giving his collarbone a long lick before pushing himself up enough for the both of them to stare at each other, their breaths labored as they took in each other's appearances.

"Yuu-chan…" Mikaela breathed as he caressed the beta's cheek at the back of his hand, and in the process, he tucked a hair behind his ear while he gazed at Yuuichirou with his eyes full of love. "You're beautiful…"

Yuuichirou blushed at the compliment and he lifted his hands up to cup Mikaela's face, his fingers getting lost in soft yellow strands of hair as he pulled the alpha in close with his eyes closing halfway. "No… You're the one who is beautiful, Mika…"

A lopsided smile formed on the alpha's face and he closed his eyes along with Yuuichirou's before they kissed again soundly, simply enjoying the touch of their lips together in a very gentle and sweet contact that made them forget everything even for a brief moment except for each other. It felt so heavenly, so freeing…

They broke the kiss soon after as Mikaela settled on Yuuichirou's chest with an ear hearing his erratic heartbeat while the beta brought his hands up on the alpha's hair to stroke and play with his strands as they both calm their breaths down.

They didn't say a word as they were both lulled into sleep, feeling completely relaxed and contented being in the embrace of the other while smelling their now intermingled scents.

* * *

... I'm not sure if having followers and favorites but no reviews is supposed to be a good thing? :\ (I'm confused. Help.)


	15. My Dear Mother

**Chapter 15: My Dear Mother**

Fingers stroked soft, yellow hair gently as Yuuichirou stared at Mikaela's sleeping face. He could make out the faintest outlines of dried tears on the alpha's cheeks and he wondered if it was his fault that this happened to Mikaela.

 _Why? Why are you affected? It's not like you love me…_

Yuuichirou casted a glance on the side at the painful fact, but that was what it was. Mikaela had a fiancée just like him… who was an omega, no doubt. He didn't have a place between an alpha and an omega pairing who were engaged. It would be wrong since both statuses compel with each other.

Yet, Yuuichirou developed romantic feelings for the alpha even if he was a beta.

It was wrong. It was against his nature, but his heart was beating for him.

It was beating for Mikaela, and Yuuichirou knew right away that he fell for him pretty hard.

 _… Is it alright for me to feel this way?_

Yuuichirou still had his doubts about trusting alphas wholly ever since his meeting with Ferid three years ago. He promised to himself that he wouldn't be weak and defenseless like last time. Hell, he even promised to kill every single fucking alpha who would even dare to make a move on him, but here he was, smitten by an alpha by the name of Mikaela Tepes who only spent a whole month with him.

The beta didn't know when and how it happened since it just came out of the blue. For a second there, they were strangers who made a bargain about this whole thing, and then they get to know each other and became acquaintances. And then Mikaela's rut happened, that made them sort of like friends with benefits since they were now kissing and all…

… Then, Mikaela promised that he would protect Yuuichirou with his life.

The beta was by no means flattered that he managed to gain an alpha's trust, but he couldn't help the worry and the uncertainty bubbling inside. What if Mikaela ended up dying protecting him? Could Yuuichirou live another day knowing that he had just led someone to their death?

His heart twisted painfully at the thought and he held Mikaela close his chest with the fear of losing him rising within his pulse. He wouldn't allow Mikaela's life to be in danger because of him, to be lost because of him.

 _Just like mother…_

Yuuichirou could feel his eyes welling up with tears at the memory where his mother died protecting him and Guren from a gunshot. He could remember the blood spreading out within her clothes, the way she limped from the hit and her smile of encouragement despite the pain.

He didn't want the same thing to happen to Mikaela… especially now that he was in love with him.

Yuuichirou might not be the same person if that time were to come. He didn't know if he could even forgive himself if something were to happen to the alpha.

 _I…_

The beta bit on his bottom lip as his hands stop their gentle caressing on Mikaela's hair and a new set of tears spilled from his eyes at the decision he was about to make.

 _I have to put some space between us. Any more of this and it will be too late for me to resist him, and if that happens…_

Yuuichirou gulped as he brought one of his hands to his face to muffle the sniffles that were coming out of his mouth.

 _… If that happens, I have no choice._

 _I have to hurt him._

―

Once he slipped out of Mikaela's embrace carefully and having a quick shower, Yuuichirou changed to a set of casual clothes, the smell of neutrality and fragrant fabric softener reaching his nose as he stood before the body-sized mirror before him. He looked like a mess, or so he thought.

He had done nothing, but brood and cry yesterday in depression. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried so much.

 _It's probably because I repressed my ability to feel things that could hurt me after mother's death…_

He looked down at the floor with disheartened look as his hands clenched into fists by his sides. True, Yuuichirou did numb his ability to feel sadness or remorse in order to get what he wanted, to get revenge against alphas who would abuse their authority or take advantage of the weak. That was why in his teenage years, he trained himself to know all forms of combat, taking full advantage of his status as a beta, but hardening his heart in the process.

Yuuichirou thought that he would be fine if he stayed that way, but he was wrong.

And it hit him in the person of Mikaela Tepes.

The beta bit on his bottom lip. He should feel ashamed of himself for having these feelings for an alpha, yet he didn't feel anything except for the way his heart raced whenever Mikaela would do something sweet or thoughtful for him, which unknowingly removed Yuuichirou's distrust for alphas. He showed him that not all alphas were abusive and that there were some who cared for others just as much as him.

And the raven couldn't help but wonder; where was Mikaela when Yuuichirou had been suffering in Ferid's hands three years ago? The question just suddenly went to his mind once he got to know Mikaela more. He thought that… if he had met Mikaela earlier, then maybe… just maybe his agony would have been prevented and his mother wouldn't have to die.

"… Stupid." Yuuichirou murmured softly, scolding himself that the past couldn't be changed no matter how many times he wished it did.

He had been defiled for someone's entertainment and his mother was dead for protecting him. And it happened because he was weak and easy to manipulate.

Yuuichirou glared at the ground as his teeth gritted within his mouth. It was painful to remember all of those things, but he knew that he had to come back to it at some point to know why he went through those hardships under Guren's tutelage to become what he was today.

But it seemed that as of late… he had made one exception to his list of alphas to massacre. Make that two if you include Shihou.

 _Mika…_

Thinking of Mikaela had Yuuichirou slap his cheeks lightly to clear his mind. The alpha would wonder why he was in such a foul mood so early in the morning and Yuuichirou couldn't have that, not after everything Mikaela did for him.

Straightening up, he breathed in some air to relax himself before smiling in determination as he head to the kitchen to cook breakfast.

Mikaela's nose twitched at the delicious aroma coming from the kitchen and his stomach growled beneath him as he sat up groggily from the couch. He yawned and rubbed his eyes as he turned his head to see Yuuichirou cooking.

"Yuu-chan…"

Yuuichirou paused and turned his head to where Mikaela was before his lips curved to his usual lopsided smile, green eyes shining with vibrant energy. "Well, good morning there, Sleeping Beauty. Did you sleep well?" He greeted teasingly before resuming his cooking. "With how long you slept, I think that's… a 'Yes'?"

Mikaela smiled. "Maybe…" He yawned again before getting up slowly from the couch. "What time is it?"

The beta checked on his wristwatch for a bit. "Hmm… A little past ten, but hey, not a bad morning, right?"

"Right…" The alpha agreed as he walked to where Yuuichirou was and hugged him snugly from behind, enjoying the beta's softness and scent before murmuring. "… I scented you last night."

Yuuichirou could feel a shiver run down his spine with the way Mikaela was holding him and speaking with him over his shoulder where his ear was. He blushed lightly and turned off the stove. "I know. I… I asked for it."

"Did you like it?" Mikaela asked as he neared Yuuichirou's neck and kissed it like last night. He heard the beta's breath hitch in his throat and felt the little tremors Yuuichirou's body was creating in reaction from the intimacy. "I know I did."

"O-Of course, I like it, Mika. It… It felt nice being so secured in your arms a-and feeling your h-heat close to me…" Yuuichirou replied almost breathlessly as his hands overlapped Mikaela's arms around him and he tilted his head to give the alpha more room. "… I never felt so safe before."

"That's good. I really had the urge to protect you yesterday since you looked so broken. I'm glad I was able to make you feel that way, Yuu-chan." The beta could feel Mikaela smiling against his skin before a warm tongue licked him and he groaned throatily, slowly feeling the waves of arousal coming into him.

"Mika…"

 _Stop! You're engaged! Don't indulge into something that won't last!_

But Yuuichirou ignored the thought as he turned his head a bit to where Mikaela was. The alpha raised his head a bit before capturing Yuuichirou's lips in a kiss.

―

Yuuichirou's back met the wall as he continued to kiss Mikaela feverishly, his legs wrapped tightly around the alpha's waist as a pair of strong hands held him by his hips. His hands carded through ashen blond hair as Mikaela grinded up against him. They were both hopeless if they were being so horny for each other in the morning.

Tongues licked and slide against the other as the heady scent of arousal grew between them, and they pressed even closer, skin flushed and heated on the other as Yuuichirou slowly parted from the kiss with a thin string of saliva connecting their lips. Dark, half-lidded eyes stare at one another while they panted softly to catch their breaths.

"Mika, I―"

Then, all of a sudden, an upbeat ringtone was screeching loudly and Mikaela jumped at the feeling of vibrations on his thigh, instantly breaking the spell they had going on.

"Oh… It's my mom." The alpha murmured as he recognized the ringtone.

Yuuichirou blinked, taking the small piece of information in. "Your… mom?"

Mikaela nodded as he slowly settled Yuuichirou down on the floor before getting his phone in his pocket and answering the call. "Hello, Mom."

"Mika, good morning, baby~!" Krul answered back enthusiastically that made Mikaela smile fondly. "I have a huge surprise for you! I'll be in France in the evening for my fashion show being held there!"

"H-Huh? A fashion show, here?" The alpha repeated, making sure that he heard right with excitement showing in his features. "That's great news, mom!"

"Isn't it?! I'll be seeing you and your uncle again. It will be a family reunion between us~"

"O-Oh, yeah… With uncle, yes…" Mikaela trailed, sounding unsure and uncomfortable at the indirect mention of his uncle. "I… I can't wait to see you tonight, mom."

"Me too, sweetie." Krul said, her cheery voice unwavering. "Ah, is the mansion well taken care of?"

Mikaela immediately paled at the question of the mansion's maintenance. How could he tell his mother that he wasn't living there anymore?

 _Oh, shit…_

"U-Uh… About that…" He stuttered, panicking. "Uhm… I'm not… living there for the time being, mom."

The omega paused on the line, and Mikaela could have sworn that Krul was blinking in surprise. "… Huh? Why is that? Did something happen?"

"Um… A-A theft happened, a-and arson! Yes! The mansion was burned down while I was tending to my internship one day."

Yuuichirou couldn't help the disbelieving grin forming on his lips and the small snort escaping from him at Mikaela's excuse. The alpha gave him a halfhearted glare and mouthed the words, "Shut up" soundlessly so that Krul wouldn't hear him.

"Oh my God! Are you alright, Mika?" The alpha's mother sounded frantic. "Where are you now? Did you find a temporary place?"

"I-I'm fine. I'm… with a friend right now." Mikaela shifted his eyes so that he was gazing at Yuuichirou who was eating the partially cold breakfast slowly while meeting his stare in curiosity. "We're in Apartments du Louvre, Room 110."

"Ooh~ Such a kind friend, you have. I'll thank him or her personally when I arrive." Krul said with a smile in her voice. "Does he or she like anything in particular?"

"I… I don't think so, and it's a 'he', Mom."

"Oh~!" Mikaela couldn't tell if his mother sounded happy or curiously teasing him because he could hear her giggling on the other line. "I see, I see. I can't wait to see him."

"Yeah…" The alpha trailed of as his eyes lingered on Yuuichirou, silently watching the other eat some food. "… And I think you'll love him."

After talking a bit with his mother, Mikaela clicked on his phone before he let out a sigh. "Oh, boy…"

"Your mom is coming over?" Yuuichirou asked as he chewed on a jam coated piece of toast.

"… More or less."

The beta blinked before nodding. "Okay…"

Mikaela was surprised at the approval and he looked at Yuuichirou hesitantly. "Are you sure?"

"Mika, she's your mom." The raven pointed out through his chewing. "Of course I'm okay with it."

"But she doesn't know that you are the son of…"

"She doesn't have to." Yuuichirou dismissed it and ate the last of his toast. He knew where Mikaela was getting into in this conversation. "Your mom will only be here for the fashion show, right? They usually last for two to three days at most, so I don't see how keeping the secret that I'm the Prime Minister's son is a bad thing."

"Well, honesty is always the better option, Yuu-chan." Mikaela commented as he placed his hands on his hips. "Lying would bite you back when you least expected it…"

The beta gave the alpha a lopsided smile at that. "Come on, Mika… What's the worst that could happen?"

Mikaela checked his wristwatch as he waited at the entrance of the airport where the 'Arrival' area was. He and Yuuichirou agreed that he would be the one to fetch his mother while the beta stayed behind to clean the place up and make room for her. Mikaela almost wanted to snicker at how much of a housewife Yuuichirou was being, but if he were to say that, he would probably see a gun pointed right at his forehead.

He didn't know how he was in a daze with his mind on the clouds until he felt someone tugging his coat. Mikaela stepped out of his stupor when a petite, pink haired woman came up to him with brown shades on and a smile on her face.

"M-Mo―"

"Mika…!" Krul screamed and she jumped high enough to wound her arms around her son's neck to hug and kiss him. "Ah, it's been so long since I last saw you~ Look how big you've grown~"

Mikaela couldn't help a smile forming on his lips at the sight of his mother in person again and he circled his arms around her waist as he returned her greeting. "It's been a while, Mom."

"A very long while, Mika." Krul emphasized. "Haah, I missed you so much in work. It's been pretty busy lately in the company that I barely got to reply to your calls and messages. It was frustrating…"

The alpha chuckled when his mother pouted cutely in annoyance.

"Well, now that you're here, you can rest easy even for a bit, right?" Mikaela asked curiously and Krul immediately beamed brightly.

"That's what I aimed when I heard that the fashion show will be held here. I get to spend time with you and your uncle~" The omega replied happily with a toothy grin. "Oh! And also your friend who was kind enough to have you in his home! I can't wait to meet him!"

―

Yuuichirou was making rounds around the place to make sure that it was spotless. He also made sure that the guns that he owned were hidden carefully in his room if Mikaela's mother were to go inside (which was something he highly doubt she would do) and checked the remaining food they have in the refrigerator.

After checking everything, he nodded and sighed in satisfaction at his job.

 _Good. Everything is coming along smoothly._

As the beta was discarding a used washcloth, his (umpteenth) phone rang up, indicating a text and he looked over to see Mikaela telling him that they were on their way to the apartment. He suddenly jumped into his feet and made his way in the bathroom to look presentable. He didn't want to give a bad first impression now that he was meeting somebody else's parent.

―

"Wow! This place is beautiful!" Krul exclaimed as she took in the sight of her son's apartment room. Everything was neat and placed accordingly for a good sheltered lifestyle. "Your friend really worked himself hard, Mika."

"Y-Yeah…" Mikaela nodded his head, but he was stunned at what Yuuichirou pulled off within three hours of his departure to the airport.

The beta wasn't kidding when he said that he was going to make everything scream rich.

And it didn't help when his nose caught the scent of Yuuichirou cooking either.

"Oh, my…" Mikaela heard Krul gasp in wonderment as she too caught the aroma and she turned her head to her son with surprised look. "Not only does your friend know how to clean, but he can also cook?"

"Uh… Yeah… Yeah, he does, mom." The alpha said with a nod as the thought of Yuuichirou being a housewife came back to his mind.

"―Mika? You're back?" A voice coming from the kitchen asked before Yuuichirou presented himself with cooking mittens on his hands. He immediately noticed Krul standing beside him and he smiled welcomingly. "Ah… You must be Mika's mom, Krul-san. I'm his friend, Yuuichirou… Amane. It's nice to meet you in person."

The beta reached out a hand for a handshake and Kurl gladly took it, shaking it vigorously with a wide smile on her face. "It's nice to meet you, Yuu. Thank you so much for being there for Mika in his time of trouble. I apologize if he was any burden to you."

"Huh? No. Mika isn't a burden at all." The raven said with a shake of his head. "More than anything, he was like… a brother to me. He helps me out around here and he also teaches me things regarding his internship."

"Is that true? I'm glad." The pink haired omega sighed in relief as she slowly let go of Yuuichirou's hand. "But, really, thank you so much. You have been a great help to my son."

"No problem, Krul-san." Yuuichirou grinned.

As Krul was talking to the beta, Mikaela silently watched and listened them, seemingly unfazed, but his mind was disturbed on that one line Yuuichirou said during his introduction and he felt a pang in his chest when it happened.

 _"More than anything, he was like… a brother to me."_

The alpha thought he stopped breathing for a while there as the information sunk in while his body tensed up.

 _So Yuu-chan only sees me as something like a family…?_

Mikaela couldn't help the pang of hurt in his chest at the thought, but he told himself that it was only temporary. Yuuichirou didn't really mean to see him that way, right?

… Right?

…

He thinned his lips in doubt and insecurity. Did Yuuichirou really see him that way and nothing more? It was pretty stupid to dwell on such a thought but Mikaela couldn't help the rising uncertainty bubbling inside him, especially when he had feelings for the beta that he had yet to tell.


	16. Warmth

**Chapter 16: Warmth**

"K-Krul-san, you don't have to…" Yuuichirou protested weakly as Krul bent low with a measuring tape on her hand, stretching it on the beta's body and getting numbers. It was a bit ticklish since he was wearing a hoodie and sweatpants, making him feel every feathery touch of the omega. "This would just hinder your work…"

"Nonsense, this is my work, Yuu. I am a fashion designer, after all." The pink haired omega giggled, clinking he eyeglasses. "And after dinner last night, I've been designing clothes for you nonstop. I mean… your hair, eyes, skin… They're all lovely and it inspired me to make clothes that will bring out that loveliness."

The beta chuckled softly at Krul's enthusiasm. Ever since yesterday, she had been so open and friendly to Yuuichirou, easily sharing her experiences in different countries and the kind of people she was working with. She even shared a few things about Mikaela here and there, saying how much of a gentleman he was even at such a young age and how much he was such a nerd.

The way Krul spoke fondly of her son made Yuuichirou a bit envious of Mikaela.

Speaking of the alpha, he glanced a bit at the blond sitting on the couch with a mug of hot chocolate, his dark blue cardigan draped lazily on his shoulders yet fitted his physique and the black jeans he wore snugged his legs perfectly.

Yuuichirou could feel his face heat up a bit as a result before Krul stepped him out of his gaze.

"Mika, what do you think?" The omega asked as she showed some papers to the blond sitting on the couch. "Is this one perfect or this one, or both?"

Mikaela looked over to the sketches before giving his mother an apologetic look. "I can't decide, Mom. They all look good on Yuu-chan."

"Don't they?" Krul perked up, smiling widely. "I just have to find and write down the types of fabrics to use and the colors as well…!" She chuckled. "Oh, dear boy… You have no idea how lucky you are."

Yuuichirou blinked in disbelief. "… Lucky? How so?"

"Hmm, well, not a lot of people get to see me up close and personal, and I don't make clothes for just anyone." The omega explained.

"Ah… But I don't really need―"

"Oh, hush, child." Krul interrupted with a playful slap on Yuuichirou's arm. "I want to make this for you and I'm not taking no for an answer."

The beta stared at her with a look mixed of surprise and amusement before smiling at her in defeat. "… You're not going back on your word, are you, Krul-san?"

"Nope~" She chuckled, pleased that Yuuichirou gave in. "And I don't regret any of it." Krul added with a fond smile following like she remembered something from the past.

The expression made Yuuichirou curiously tilt his head and lean a bit forward at the pause the omega emitted.

"… O-Oh, I'm sorry, Yuu." Krul apologized once she noticed how she suddenly spaced out. "I'll… I'll get us some snacks. Surely you boys want something to eat after just idly staying in the same position since this morning."

The omega laughed sheepishly, almost like she did something embarrassing before she dismissed herself. "I… I'll be right back."

Yuuichirou watched Krul leave almost in a rush which made a rather awkward atmosphere in the living room with him and Mikaela. The beta tugged on his sleeves nervously as soon as he felt eyes on him after that, making him stand uncomfortably under Mikaela's watchful eyes.

"Mika―"

"―Yuu-chan."

The raven immediately shut his mouth at the sound of his name coming from Mikaela, and before he knew it, Mikaela's hands were on him; cupping his face and carding his fingers on his hair lovingly. Yuuichirou breath hitched as he was taken aback by the sudden display of affection.

"M-Mika, what are you…" The beta's voice was hushed and inaudible like he was whispering only for Mikaela while his face turned a shade of pink.

"… Can I ask you something?"

The way Mikaela asked that question with a serious tone of voice somewhat surprised Yuuichirou.

He tilted his head a bit to meet the alpha's face and he blinked, lost. "W-What is it? It isn't like you to be like this, Mika..." Green eyes glanced away a bit. "If you have something in your mind, then just say it. You don't have to be so… close."

Mikaela was silent for a bit, taking Yuuichirou's words into consideration. "I'm sorry, I just… I want to know what you feel about me…"

Yuuichirou's eyes widened a fraction as his heart began to beat slowly and loudly in his chest while he repeated what Mikaela said. "… What I feel about you?"

His hands clenched into fists by his sides and his mind roamed in different kinds of answers to tell Mikaela. He wanted to admit that he held feelings―sentimental ones―for him, but he remembered that if he did confess such, it would only make Mikaela all the more protective over him.

As much as he wanted it, he knew he couldn't accept it. Not yet, especially when a certain leech was still out there looking for him.

Raising his hands up to overlap Mikaela's on him, Yuuichirou slowly remove them from his face with a solemn look on his face. "I… Mika, I―we're…"

His throat constricted at the words he was going to say, and he was left staring desperately at Mikaela who was also looking at him the same way; the realization that he couldn't lie to him piercing through like a shrill scream.

"What…?" The alpha whispered back and he cupped Yuuichirou's again when the hold on his hands loosen. "What are we, Yuu-chan?"

"I don't know…" The words left Yuuichirou's mouth almost immediately before he could stop himself. "I don't know, Mika. But what I know is that I... I ha―"

"―I'm sorry for the wait~"

Krul's voice managed to stop whatever Yuuichirou was saying and Mikaela's hands were quickly swatted away from him as he took a step back, putting some distance in between as Krul reappeared with a tray of snacks and drinks.

He could get a glimpse of Mikaela's hurt expression at what he did but he turned a blind eye on it as soon as they were apart.

"There were so many things to choose from, and I was having a difficult time deciding…" Krul trailed off when she sensed the tension in the room between her son and Yuuichirou. "Uhm… Am I interrupting something here?"

Yuuichirou was about to open his mouth to say something, but Mikaela beat him to it with a shake of his head and a sigh.

"No, you didn't, Mom. Yuu-chan and I were just talking about restocking the fridge."

The beta looked over to Mikaela who had his eyes covered behind his bangs, looking so broken and hollow like his statement. He wanted to deny that lie and apologize for what happened, but he stopped himself… even when Mikaela turned his back to leave.

"H-Huh?" Krul blinked, surprised. "But Mika, the fridge still has food in it. Restocking now would…"

"It's fine." The alpha interrupted as he took his coat by the doorway. "I'll be back in a few."

The omega watched her son leaving the apartment silently with worry growing inside.

 _… Now I've done it._

Yuuichirou hesitantly glanced at Krul who had set the tray quietly on the coffee table and sat down on the couch, her expression grim. He was tempted to make up an excuse and hide in his room while he still had the chance, but something about the situation hindered Yuuichirou from doing so.

Besides… Mikaela's mother was still there. It would be rude to just leave the guest alone.

"… Yuu." The beta perked up at the sound of his name and he saw Krul giving him a small smile. "Please sit down. You must tired in having to stand so much."

"O-Oh… No, I-I'm fine, Krul-san…"

Yuuichirou shifted uncomfortably, his figure fidgeting at the heavy mood settling in the room.

"Please…"

Green eyes peeked at Krul on the couch as he contemplated on the decision he was about to make. Despite the reluctance pressing onto him, Yuuichirou deliberately made his way to her and took a seat beside her.

"… Something happened, didn't it?" Krul softly asked as she took a glass of oolong tea. She didn't sound angry or upset. "Even if Mika diverted the subject away from me, I could still tell that he's lying."

Yuuichirou grit his teeth and his hands tightened on the cushion. They were caught. "I'm sorry. It's my fault that he had to do it."

"No, don't blame yourself, Yuu. I'm sure the both of you will fix this in due time." She cooed before taking a sip. "Mika… He tends to do that a lot, especially during his elementary years."

Krul stared down on her drink with a faraway expression. "He was often bullied by his classmates simply because he didn't have a father taking care of him. They often say things like he was the cause why his father left me or that his father had a mistress who he loved more than us. But, of course, none of those were true."

"… Because he died, right?"

The omega smiled at that. "My… Mika told you about that?"

"Uh…" Yuuichirou blushed lightly and he brought a hand up to scratch the back of his head. "We… We went a long way, a-and we shared some personal stuff here and there, so…"

Krul giggled. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Yuu… I'm actually glad to hear that." She paused for a bit. "You see… Mika doesn't have a lot of people that he could easily open up to even if he has a socializing demeanor. He… had a bit of trouble trusting others after his elementary years."

"But he…" The beta hesitated, but Krul's curious look egged him to continue. "But he was rather… open to me… It was almost like he wanted to know me better even if it was the first time we met."

"Is that so… I know that Mika was willing to know others, but he was never persistent before. You must have intrigued him." Her smiled widened before she leaned close to Yuuichirou, excitement flowing through her. "Was it perhaps… love at first sight?"

Yuuichirou's blush immediately turned dark out of embarrassment and he looked away. "N-No, I don't think it's like that…! Why would he even―B-But he's engaged, right?"

"Hmm, true… But his engagement was made on a whim." Krul agreed with a nod. "It didn't help that it was made after both Mika and Akane had presented their orientation."

The raven was surprised at that. "And you approve of it?"

"With how long I met Akane, I was pretty keen on the matter and I intend to have her as Mika's mate, but…" She trailed off, tapping on the transparent glass before continuing. "… Mika didn't like the arrangement; telling me that it was too soon to hold something like that. As a mother, I understood what he meant, but Akane's father was insistent, and before I knew it, Mika and Akane had engagement rings already."

"R-Rings?" Yuuichirou repeated, his voice surprised and disbelieving. _Mika had a ring and he didn't tell me about it?_

Krul hummed. "The engagement was a rather sensitive matter for Mika, and he doesn't like expressing it as much. I'm actually surprised he told you about it."

"Uh, well, I…" Yuuichirou paused for a while, his mind weighing the pros and cons on what he was about to say next before opening his mouth. "I… I'm actually e-engaged as well, you see… So, I guess it urged Mika to share the same…"

"Oh…" Krul gasped softly at what the beta said, eyes slightly wide. " That's, erm… That's too bad."

Yuuichirou tilt his head in confusion.

 _… Bad?_

"W-Why do you say so, Krul-san?"

"W-Well… Even if I was only here for one night, I can tell how much Mika likes you." She admitted with a grin. "I've never seen him look at Akane the same way he does with you."

"H-He does…?" The raven unconsciously reached out a strand of his hair and began to twirl it around with a shy blush blooming on his cheeks.

Krul nodded her head. "A mother knows her child inside, out no matter how much time passes by, and Mika… He adores you, Yuu. Knowing that simple thing is more than enough for me to gladly let him take your hand in marriage if he wants, but since you're engaged…"

A painful feeling settled inside Yuuichirou, making his chest feel heavy. Just hearing Krul saying those words created a dreadful indecisiveness that he had tried to ignore the entire time after he had come to terms with his feelings. He knew it was futile from the start, but he had to do it for Mika's safety.

Yet, he couldn't help the giddiness bubbling inside him behind Krul's words. The answer was blatantly obvious.

 _Mika loves me…_

A smile was threatening to appear on his face, but he willed it to a thin line at the possibly grim outcome at the mutual feeling.

 _This is bad… If we confess to one another, much less do something intimate, it'll be hard for me to let go… or make Mika let me go and Ferid will come after him in order to lure me in._

Yuuichirou ground his teeth at the negative thoughts in his mind before he laughed shallowly. "Y-Yeah, that's too bad, Krul-san… I'm sorry."

"There's no need to apologize, Yuu. In fact, I should be the one apologizing to you for telling something strange." Krul smiled ruefully.

"That's okay, I don't find it strange at all…" _It actually makes me happy…_

The omega chuckled. "I'm glad, but don't tell Mika about it. He'll be embarrassed."

Yuuichirou returned her smiled before getting his own glass of oolong tea. "I won't."

"But Yuu… Do you feel anything for Mika?"

"I…" He murmured as he stared down at his drink before saying that one little lie. "I only… think of him as a friend."

* * *

Mikaela's hand lowered down from the doorknob while he stared down on the ground, the hold he had on the plastic bag tightening as he tried to keep his composure. He felt like his heart was being torn into pieces.


	17. Down Under

**Chapter 17: Down Under**

Yuuichirou and Krul flinched when they heard the door open and close and they both curiously peek over to the doorway to see. The beta's heart stuttered when Mikaela appeared… with an oblivious expression like he just walked in on someone doing something behind closed doors. Well, it was far better than having a look akin to an angry typhoon entering the room, anyway.

"Mika…"

"Welcome back, Mika~!" Krul greeted cheerfully in contrast to Yuuichirou's. "Did you shop well?"

"I… Yes." Mikaela glanced at the side for a bit before grinning. "I see that you two are getting along."

Krul hummed in approval. "We've gotten to know each other a bit more, but more importantly…!" She stood up from the couch with a wide smile. "I have an announcement to make now that we are all here."

"An announcement?" Mikaela and Yuuichirou repeated coincidentally.

"Yup! It's about my fashion show." The omega excitedly screamed, bouncing up and down. "Now sit down, Mika and listen to me."

The blond gave his mother a look before slowly walking over to where Yuuichirou was and sat down, making sure there was space between them as he settled the plastic bag down on the floor. He straightened up and avoided the anxious glance the raven was giving him.

He didn't want any more heart breaks after Yuuichirou just claimed him as a…

As a _friend_.

The word left a bitter taste on Mikaela and he unconsciously began to respond to his negative feelings, causing his darkening aura to seethe in small portions. Yuuichirou swallowed lightly in reaction to it out of fear and he clenched his fists on his pants to get a hold of himself.

Krul seemed to sense this but she maintained a happy demeanor while she stood before both boys.

"So! I would like to announce that I'm inviting you two to my fashion show that will start tonight at 7PM in Louvre Palace!"

Yuuichirou immediately reacted. "L-Louvre Palace?! The Louvre Palace?!"

She nodded. "And what's better is that you two are taking the VIP suite~" Krul winked as she magically produced two golden tickets out from her hand. She must have hid them somewhere in her clothes in order to do that.

Yuuichirou and Mikaela took their own respective tickets slowly while still looking up at Krul dubiously at her announcement, but she only offered them a smile and completely ignored their strange looks.

"Be on time and wear your best clothes~ I'll be expecting the both of you to be handsome young men in the show as well as the after party~"

The beta immediately tensed at the word party and flashes of him being shot by a sniper came back to his head; a memory he wanted to forget along with the sabotage. His body trembled ever so slightly as he moved his arms a bit to hug himself for protection.

Mikaela immediately glanced at Yuuichirou worriedly when the beta reacted that way. He knew right away that Yuuichirou must have been remembering what had happened to him during the welcoming world party last month. He was shot and nearly bled to death, for crying out loud!

"Yuu-chan, are you alright?" The alpha found himself asking, his earlier grief forgotten temporarily as his concern for the other overwhelmed him.

"I… I'm fine. I just… I don't like grand parties…" Yuuichirou confessed, straightening up. He didn't want to reveal what happened a month ago, so he came up with an excuse. "I easily get nauseous when I'm around a lot of people…"

Krul hummed thoughtfully at this. "Oh, I understand, Yuu. You can always leave early if the party is making you feel uncomfortable."

"But you offered…"

"It's fine. You should consider your health first above all else." Pink eyes softened at the beta and she reached out to pet Yuuichirou on the head to help him relax. "Don't force yourself, my dear."

A familiar warmth welled inside the raven at the way Krul was comforting him and his eyes began to water at the immediate thought of his mother. Yuuichirou blinked his eyes to prevent any tear from falling and gave the omega a wide smile and a nod.

"Thank you. I'm very grateful for your concern, Krul-san."

Krul smiled both in relief and in content. On the side, she could tell that Mikaela also felt the same way.

* * *

Yuuichirou eyed the full body mirror of his room, his eyes roaming on the all too familiar tuxedo that he wore during the welcoming world party. The hole where the sniper shot him was patched up to its original form so that the torn side wasn't obvious.

Now, he was contemplating on what to do with his hair.

He could have it slicked back like before, but it would just give way to his appearance as the missing son of the Japanese Prime Minister and Yuuichirou wanted to be discreet about his hidden status. The wig was also an option, but Krul would wonder why he would wear such a thing during her fashion show. Dying his hair was a big no for him, that's for sure.

 _What should I do…?_

As he was thinking on what to do to cover up his hair, one of his disposable phones rang up. It was the very same one he used when he talked to Guren two days ago.

Yuuichirou picked the phone up by the bedside and accepted the call, placing the phone right beside his ear. "Hello?"

"Yuu."

The deep, rough voice of his father had Yuuichirou tense up.

"D-Dad…"

"Yuu, we are coming to get you out of there tomorrow. You better start packing your things up." Guren's statement was quick and Yuuichirou had a bit of difficulty in understanding it.

"Wait, tomorrow? Already?"

"Yes. That place has become too dangerous for you, especially now that we all know that Ferid is behind all these." The older beta explained. "You have already suffered enough losses in the past. That's why we're getting you out of there as fast as we could. "

"I… I understand, Dad." Yuuichirou agreed calmly, but truthfully, he was panicking as hell. "Thank you for telling me."

"Hm, I'll call you back once we have landed. Stay safe there, alright?"

"A-Alright."

The call ended briefly, but it was enough to make Yuuichirou's head roaming. It was too sudden. He expected it be like that, but after spending time with Mikaela, he had somewhat forgotten about it and hearing Guren bringing it up made his mind stop thinking for a while.

 _I'm leaving…_

The thought should make him happy but all he could ever feel was shock and uncertainty. He felt like he was going to leave a portion of himself behind if he did.

 _Mika…_

Yuuichirou inhaled sharply at the inevitable fact that he was going to leave Mikaela and probably never see him again. He was tempted to just run away with Mikaela using his allowance, but that would just make Guren pissed and chances of Ferid finding him was random.

And there was also the thought that running away would bring up problems to Mikaela's career as a medical person. The alpha had already ditched numerous days of his internship just to be with Yuuichirou and the refunds would be pretty pricey.

"So I have no choice, huh…" He muttered to himself as he pocketed the phone in his pants, the heavy feeling in his chest only deepening as he come to a conclusion. "I have to tell Mika about this…"

Yuuichirou came out of his room to see Mikaela already dressed up nicely with a black tuxedo and his hair loosely tied up and his cheeks quickly took a shade of pink at the sight. He was caught red-handed when Mikaela turned a bit while buttoning up his sleeve cuffs when Yuuichirou closed the door.

"Yuu-chan…" Mikaela sounded almost winded and his cheeks also gave a healthy shade of pink. "You look good."

"T-Thanks, you look good as well…" _Very good, actually._

Mikaela smiled appreciatively at the compliment before it thinned down to a line, his expression serious. "My mother left ahead of us since she has to deal with the preparations and the models wearing her designs."

"O-Oh, I see…"

"And…" The alpha trailed off before crossing his arms on his chest. "… She's transferring in a condominium assigned to her during her stay in France."

The news surprised Yuuichirou. "Then, she… She won't be here tonight?"

"No, it'll be only the two of us tonight." Mikaela confirmed firmly, slipping his metal wristwatch on.

The beta gulped unexpectedly in the way the other said it even if there was no second meaning behind it, and he didn't know if that was supposed to be a good or a bad thing. But, either way, Yuuichirou didn't have any reason to fear Mikaela now that they practically lived under the same roof for a month.

And yet… He couldn't help but be a little wary with the way the alpha was acting around him.

Well, Yuuichirou kind of expected such after he just pushed him away rather rudely a few moments ago… and also after discovering Mikaela's affections for him cleverly through his conversation with Krul.

 _And Mika isn't stupid enough to not know that I didn't feel the same way…_

Yuuichirou chewed on his bottom lip before murmuring. "I see… It's just you… and me tonight…"

It oddly sounded arousing when he said it, and Yuuichirou found himself blushing in realization as Mikaela stared at him in a mix of curiosity at the beta's reaction. Yuuichirou immediately turned his head and walked away with his mouth opening in a shaky voice to dismiss any kind of conversation that might begin because of it.

"S-Shouldn't we be going? The earlier we show up, the earlier we go home, yeah? N-Not that I don't want to stay a bit more in Krul-san's after party and talk, but I―"

"―I know." Mikaela's simple statement made Yuuichirou stop whatever he was saying, and their eyes met in deep mutual understanding. "I was there, Yuu-chan."

"R-Right…" The beta scratched the nape of his neck nervously.

"And you're right about being early." Mikaela continued as he moved beside Yuuichirou, his voice turning sonorous, deadly even and it sent shivers crawling up the beta's spine. "Because I have a lot of questions in my mind and I want you to answer them as _honestly_ as possible when we get home after this. Are we clear?"

With the way Mikaela sounded almost too demanding made Yuuichirou swallow an invisible lump in his throat as he nod his head slowly in agreement. Though it greatly unsettled Yuuichirou to submit to an alpha and his possessive side due to his beta nature, he simply couldn't refuse it… especially if Mikaela was the one who asked for it.

"Yes…" He found himself saying. "You have my word…"

"… Good."

Yuuichirou could have sworn he heard a hint of… _something_ in Mikaela's voice, yet it was covered by the sternness that the alpha was portraying at the moment. And the beta didn't know if he should be worried or pissed at the way Mikaela was acting around him with how long they were together. He would find out one way or the other, but right now, he was being cautious.

It annoyed Yuuichirou that he had to be this way with Mikaela, but he kept on reminding himself that he was doing this for the alpha's safety along with the consequence of hurting Mikaela if it was needed. Yet, even so, it left an unpleasant taste in his tongue at having to set this wall (temporarily) between the two of them.

 _Again… This was for his safety. Who knows what Ferid will do to him once he finds out… I was the reason why Mika is involved in this mess in the first place…_

Yuuichirou pursed his lips at the reminder. Patience... He needed patience before revealing everything Mikaela needed to know. He just needed to find the right place and time to do it, and he hoped that it would there soon. Real soon.

He wasn't too keen on keeping Mikaela away from the truth any longer.

* * *

After a silent ride to the Louvre Palace, Yuuichirou and Mikaela were greeted with a huge crowd of fans, cameramen and reporters all over the entrance of the grand place. Red carpet and expensive silken linens draped exquisitely the place and the scene sent a nostalgic feel on Yuuichirou as he watched in amazement.

"Wow, what a crowd." He murmured once he and Mikaela were outside. "As expected of a famous fashion designer like Krul-san…"

"Indeed." Mikaela commented offhandedly as he saw the swarming people in his line of vision. Unlike Yuuichirou who was entranced by everything, the alpha was completely unfazed, almost like he was expecting the whole thing. "It'll be hard to find mom in here…"

Yuuichirou glanced up to Mikaela curiously before a voice called out their attention from the noise.

"Mika~! Yuu~! Over here!"

Both boys turned their heads to see Krul approaching them dressed formally in an elegant maroon dress with rich, black accents and her hair done into a side bun. She greeted them with a smile and a small wave of her hand while the crowd awed at her from behind, cameras flashing within the blink of eye and nearly blinding Yuuichirou and Mikaela from the brightness. But, despite that, both of them were able to see how Krul looked for the evening and they were left stunned as she walked towards them.

"Welcome, welcome!" She said with a bit more volume due to how audible the fans were. "You came just in time, and my… you both are very handsome tonight." Krul giggled as she stared at the two boys before her, nodding and making small sounds of approval at their choice of clothing. "Come, let's go inside. I'll show you to the VIP suite. This place is pretty big, after all. And I don't want any of your boys to get lost… If you know what I mean."

The omega winked mischievously at them before she turned her back to lead the way, marching on the red carpet with elegance radiating from her and with head held up high as she ignored the squeals coming from the crowd. Mikaela was the first to follow her lead with a small, fond sigh escaping his lips before Yuuichirou followed suite.

However, when he caught up with Mikaela, he suddenly felt a set of eyes watching him intently from the crowd and a shiver immediately came up to his spine at the uncomfortable sensation which made his steps stutter a bit, almost to the point of tripping. It didn't help that the gaze felt familiar… all too familiar for his liking and it made his stomach sick for some reason.

The alpha noticed this and he turned to Yuuichirou with a raised brow. "Yuu-chan, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine…" He reassured with a sheepish smile, though he did attempt to look behind him just in case, his eyes searching through the crowd for a person giving him this paranoia. "I'm fine, Mika, no worries. I just… have to be more careful with where I'm walking."

Mikaela tilt his head in confusion before shrugging. "Jeez, you can be such a klutz sometimes…" He murmured with a soft chuckle before coming over to Yuuichirou and held his hand. "I couldn't take my eyes off of you for one bit."

The beta's face immediately colored pink at that and he frowned at Mikaela out of embarrassment. "Wha―Mika, I'm not a child anymore…!" He protested hastily and took his hand from Mikaela's. "And it was just a tiny trip. You don't have to get so…" Yuuichirou cut his sentence off and shook his head in disbelief with what was happening. "A-Anyway, let's continue to follow your mother. She could be ahead of us and she'll wonder why we aren't there yet."

Yuuichirou huffed before walking with a pout on his face, leading the way with Mikaela following behind him who had a small smile on his face.

* * *

"So, you are indeed with Mika-kun…" Ferid muttered as he leaned back on his limousine with an amused smile on his face as he watched Yuuichirou walking to the building with Mikaela. "I could recognize your green eyes anywhere, dear Yuu."

The alpha inhaled deeply, completely satisfied with his find as he closed his eyes and remembered a memory in the past.

 _There was Yuuichirou, panting hard and trying to catch his breath as he held the small, soiled blanket that scantly covered his nudity. His body littered with saliva, blood and cum. But the most distinguishable ones were the marks. Fresh, red bite marks and nails scratches that punctured his honey skin as he curled up like a ball on the corner of the dark room._

 _Ferid, to say the least, was pleased with what he had done as he hummed a random tune while watching a captured video on a camera. The sound of Yuuichirou crying, screaming and begging for the alpha to stop resounded in the four corners of the room. And the scent of sex was presentably evident._

 _Satisfied, Ferid stopped the video for a while as he looked over to the raven and chuckled darkly. "You know that sitting there won't give you any help, right? You look so pathetic right now."_

 _"S-Shut up…" Yuuichirou growled weakly from his hiding place, refusing to face Ferid. "You're the reason why I'm like this, you… you bastard." He paused for a while before continuing. "I thought… I thought I could trust you because you're…"_

 _"Because I'm your father's friend, right?" When Yuuichirou nodded, Ferid scoffed. "Yeah, well… That's all in the past now, dear Yuuichirou. Your dad did something very horrible in the past and I'm just repaying him back."_

 _This made the raven finally turn to face the alpha with his dull, green eyes glaring at him as he screamed as best as he could, his voice raspy and cracking from overuse. "What the fuck does raping me have to with it?!"_

 _Ferid looked at the boy, his expression unchanging in their amused state as he stood up. "… Everything, apparently."_

 _Tossing the camera carelessly on the bed, the alpha approached Yuuichirou who held the blanket tighter as the Ferid knelt down before him. "However, it seems that I have taken a personal liking to you."_

 _To prove his point, Ferid slipped a hand between Yuuichirou's legs and rimmed the entrance of his ass with his fingers, the place sticky with cum and something much thicker. The feeling had Yuuichirou jumping, and he closed his thighs to together as an attempt to let the alpha stop what he was doing. But with how drained he was with their previous activity, the effort was just merely a rub of his thighs and the action just egged Ferid to continue with what he was doing._

 _Yuuichirou hissed and gritted his teeth once he felt something penetrating his abused hole and he whimpered in his throat, much to his shame. "S-Stop… You already had your fun. Please… just let me go…"_

 _"Hmm…" Ferid hummed as he watched the boy immediately flushing up and trembling. The reaction had heat stirring in his belly, making him hard once again as he added more fingers inside. "But look at you, Yuu. You say that you don't want it, but your body is speaking otherwise. Feel how you suck my fingers in you."_

 _"T-That is because of y-your damn pheromones, you leech…!" Yuuichirou snapped back only to have a groan rumbling on the back of his throat once his prostate was found. His hands seized Ferid's arm and his fingers dug on the skin as hard as he could; another attempt to stop the alpha while Yuuichirou inwardly cursed for his lack of strength. "Fuck! Stop…! Please… I don't want… anymore…!"_

 _"Aww, but we're just getting started~" Ferid gave Yuuichirou a sickening wide smile as he produced handcuffs and syringe of sedatives from the back of his pants. The sight of glimmering items had the raven widening his eyes in horror as Ferid continued. "And I have a lot of things I want to try out with you and it'll be all the more enjoyable~"_

 _"N-No, please…" Yuuichirou shakily cried out with tears welling up from the corner of his eyes, but his voice fell on deaf ears as his wrists weighed with silver and he was found on his back once again with nothing to cover his naked body while Ferid uncapped the syringe._

 _Yuuichirou struggled below the overpowering alpha, legs flailing and body squirming as the needle neared his skin. Sobs and pants fell from his lips as he looked up at the person on him before he closed his eyes, shutting everything from his vision and wishing everything to just end. "F-Ferid-san, please…"_

 _"Shh…" The alpha cooed, sounding almost caring. Almost. "It'll be over soon, dear Yuu… Once I thoroughly break your spirit, that is. And, by the end of it all, you'll come to understand the pain that your father inflicted on me."_

 _Yuuichirou was about to say something, but he was kept silent with a hand that muffled his voice and he felt something shot up inside his system that made his tensed muscles relax and his vision hazy, the sedative working its magic in his body. But the effects weren't fast enough when Ferid suddenly shoved and sheathed himself inside Yuuichirou's tight heat, causing the raven to buck his hips and scream through his hand with his eyes opening wide in pain._

 _Ah… Ferid thought. What a beautiful, enticing expression…_

 _A wicked smile formed on the alpha's lips as he moved his hips without giving Yuuichirou much time to prepare himself for his hard length, watching the raven's form moving underneath his on the floor and listening to his stifled cries. Ferid had always thought that Yuuichirou was cute when he first saw him, but he looked even more gorgeous like this, gagged and simply taking everything that was given to him._

 _He could get used to this, especially with the way Yuuichirou squeezed his hot, velvety walls around his shaft that beckoned him to go deeper and deeper inside despite the humiliated look on his face at being taken like this again._

 _Oh, yes, Ferid could definitely get used to this._

Opening his eyes, the alpha licked his lips at the delicious memory as his body roused up a bit in sexual excitement. "Soon, dear Yuu… I'm getting you back soon…"

* * *

A shiver ran up Yuuichirou's spine and he instinctually inched closer to Mikaela, his hand nimbly taking a piece of the alpha's tuxedo sleeve as they were shown to their seats in the VIP suite. There was something odd about coming here. He could sense it, but he couldn't put a finger on what it was.

Were his kidnappers perhaps…

 _No, shut up brain. Don't think of such._

Mikaela seemed to feel Yuuichirou's sudden change of mood and he shifted to see the beta close to him, almost like he was hiding from something. Forgetting about his hurtful feelings for Yuuichirou's 'rejection', Mikaela overlapped Yuuichirou's hand on his as he looked at him with a worried expression. "Yuu-chan, are you sure you're alright? You've been acting strange when we came here."

"… Something is wrong." The beta confessed, tightening his hold on Mikaela. "I don't know what it is, but there's something wrong. I feel like I'm being watched."

This alarmed Mikaela and the alpha quickly checked the people around them to see if there was someone looking at them. When there was no one, he anxiously held Yuuichirou close by his shoulders as he whispered. "Do you… want to leave?"

The question made Yuuichirou's eyes widen and he immediately shook his head. "No…! I-I mean… This is Krul-san's big day a-and she invited the both of us… It would be rude to just leave without the main event starting…"

"But, Yuu-chan, you're…"

"I-I'll be fine…" Yuuichirou assured him before lowering his head and letting it bump gently on Mikaela's chest. "Just… Just hold my hand, please? It helps…"

The alpha looked down on Yuuichirou's quivering form before taking his hand and gave it a firm squeeze enough for the beta to feel secured. "… Okay."

Yuuichirou nodded slowly as he practically sagged against Mikaela, his body stupidly relaxed by the simple gesture of warmth that he found himself nuzzling comfortably on the alpha's chest. He never knew how much he missed being this close to Mikaela, and it had been for just two days!

 _Good grief, I'm hopeless…_

Yuuichirou could feel his lips forming a smile as his heart fluttered inside while he was being led to a seat by Mikaela who held on to his hand and even entwined their fingers together once they both settled in, the feeling of paranoia dulling slightly as the show began.

* * *

"Did you two have fun?" Krul asked in excitement as soon as the show ended, a wine glass half-filled with fine alcohol in her hand as she saw the two boys.

"It was amazing, Krul-san…!" Yuuichirou complimented quickly, eyes glowing in admiration. "I've never been into much fashion shows, so this really caused an impact on me."

"My, is that so? I'm glad." The omega giggled, pleased. "The show will be continuing for the next two days. If you ever want to watch again, you are always free to drop by. I'll give the staff my word for it."

"O-Oh, that's great. Thank you so much."

"And while you're at it, do bring Mika with you as well~ You two look cute together in the VIP suite, you know~"

Yuuichirou and Mikaela sputtered and their faces lit up in embarrassment at Krul's comment.

"M-Mom…!" The alpha cried out as if scolding her but Krul laughed it off, much to her son's chagrin.

"What? I'm just telling the truth, Mika~ I was checking up on the both of you to see if you were alright from the balcony suite, and then I saw―" Her eyes looked down on the both of them where their hands were and she pointed at it. "―that together. You're both so sweet~"

Mikaela groaned as his face flushed hotly and he covered his eyes with a hand while Yuuichirou glanced away with a small, awkward laugh leaving his lips. Doing so, he could have sworn he caught a hint of long, silver hair in his line of vision and Yuuichirou immediately tensed up, recognizing only one person who had such feature.

 _Was that… who I think it is?_

Yuuichirou wanted to find out if it was who he thought it was, but problem was that he didn't bring any weapons with him. Well, how could he when there were security guards checking their guests by the entrance? And there were way too many people in the area and he didn't want to risk any casualties, frustrating him but he dared not to show it in front of Krul.

"Uhm… I'll go and get something to drink. I… I hope you don't mind."

"Hm? Oh, not at all. Please."

Yuuichirou bowed respectfully before disappearing into the crowd and into the simple bar table where the staff served glasses of fruit punches and alcohol, depending on their customer's preference. His green eyes looked over the glasses and noticed that each had a single fruit slice on the rim. It delighted him that such a thing was there and he was about to get a glass of fruit punch with a slice of strawberry when a cold, pale hand overlapped his followed by voice next to his ear.

"Strawberry as always, dear Yuu? You never changed."

The beta's blood ran cold and his breathing stopped for a while as he turned his head a bit to see the bastard he wanted to kill in his very own hands. "… You."

"It's been a long while~ Did you miss me?"

"Tch, as if!" Yuuichirou growled as he snatched his hand away from Ferid's like the alpha caught fire. "Why the hell would I miss you? You ruined me!"

"So mean, and I came all this way just to see you again~"

The raven's glare darkened as he was restraining himself from wanting to attack the alpha in the party and punch the living daylights out of him for all the pain and misery he had done. His anger was raging inside of him, threatening to go out of control the more he stood in front of Ferid. If he wasn't going to leave anytime soon, Yuuichirou might just kill―

"… Ferid?"

A voice… A voice snapped him out of his trance and Yuuichirou was greeted with Mikaela standing with an expression of surprise.

"Ah, Mika-kun~ It's been a while~" Ferid greeted back in a familial tone that caught the beta in confusion. "I wasn't expecting my dear nephew to be here."

 _Nephew…? What?_

"Ah, me either..." Mikaela replied back with a smile. "It has been a long while, Uncle."

 _―Uncle?!_

Yuuichirou's mind was roaming at the information being sprung to him quickly as he tried to comprehend what was happening. He was very much confused, shocked even at the revelation that occurred as he pointed fingers at the two alphas. "Wait… You two… are related?"

Mikaela blinked at the question before he flustered at the impoliteness. "Oh, yes… Y-Yuu-chan, this is my uncle, Ferid Bathory. And uncle, this is Yuuichirou… Amane, my fellow colleague in med school."

"Hoh…" Ferid hummed in amusement, and Yuuichirou already knew that the alpha found it interesting about his change in surname. "Yuuichirou Amane, huh? Pleasure to meet you."

"S… Same here." Yuuichirou muttered, feeling completely lost with the situation right now, but what he did know was that Ferid and Mikaela are related by _blood_. And it sickened him. He needed to leave; he needed to just… go away for a while. He just couldn't look at Mikaela straight anymore now that he knew something like this. "Uh, M-Mika… I'm not feeling good. I'll be going home ahead, okay?"

"Huh? But, Yuu-chan―"

Before Mikaela could even finish his sentence, Yuuichirou dashed away from the two of them with his head hung low. He couldn't handle this. He had to get away and he didn't dare to stop even if Mikaela called out to him.

* * *

"Yuu-chan, wait―!" Mikaela's voice called out for the umpteenth time that night as they walked all the way to their apartment building. "I said wait, dammit!"

"I don't want to wait, Mika!" Yuuichirou snapped back, his feet hot on his heels as he took their room key swiftly from the counter and climbed up the stairs. "I can't stand it there!"

"I know that you must be traumatized with what happened to you before, but leaving just like that was very rude!"

"Why?! Because your uncle was there?!"

"Yes! Exactly!"

Yuuichirou groaned in annoyance, anger bubbling inside him at this pointless argument he was sharing with Mikaela. Apparently, the alpha didn't get the hint that Yuuichirou was agitated and distressed when his _uncle_ was there talking to him up close and personal. For three years and a month of suppressing his pain and hurting, everything was spiraling out of control and Mikaela openly confirming that he has family relations with his enemy didn't help one bit. In fact, it only made it worse, much worse than Yuuichirou could ever imagine to the point that he began to question his feelings.

" ** _―Shut up!_** " He bellowed loudly enough to echo at the hallways of the apartment building. " ** _You don't know him as well as I do!_** "

Mikaela flinched at Yuuichirou's enraged voice. He never heard him sound like that before and it torn Mikaela to be worried about his well-being or to be irritated that Yuuichirou was showing so much disrespect for his uncle. Sadly, anger won this case. "What the hell was that supposed to mean?!"

When Yuuichirou didn't shout back as he unlocked their apartment door, Mikaela yelled at him as he ran to catch up the beta who was about to close the door. " ** _Answer me, Yuuichirou!_** "

The beta raised his head to meet Mikaela's face with his eyes in the shades of purple as he glared at the alpha whose strength was preventing him from slamming the door shut. "There is nothing for me answer, Mika. Now let go of the door."

"No!"

"Mika…"

"Not until you tell me what is going on!"

"I'm just pissed, okay?! I just need to rest!"

"This obviously is a lot deeper than that if you are angry like this!" Mikaela couldn't believe this was happening. Out of the people in the world, he wasn't expecting to have such an argument with the person he cherished the most. He was expecting the flaws, but this… this was a bit too much. "Just… tell me what is making you feel so angry, then maybe…"

"… What can you possibly do, Mika?" Yuuichirou rasped, his temper calming down even for a bit as he inhaled a shaky breath. "This… This _thing_ that I'm feeling couldn't be remedied by anything but time itself. You can't do anything."

"Why? How would you know?"

"… I just know." Was Yuuichirou's simple answer before he attempted to close the door again, but Mikaela managed to grab a hold of his wrist and forced his way inside, kicking the door close behind him with his foot once they were both in their apartment room.

Yuuichirou didn't bother to fight back as Mikaela pushed him further inside the living room, the alpha's face showing his dissatisfaction with his answer. "That isn't enough to convince me, Yuu-chan. You're clearly hiding something from me, and I want to know what it is… along with your true feelings about me."

Curling his fingers, Yuuichirou stared up to Mikaela, both of their auras bold and challenging while they stood unmoving as the alpha uttered words that the beta somewhat dreaded to hear.

"... We need to talk."

* * *

Ah, I apologize, my dear readers for not updating on time. Please understand that I have a rather busy schedule at hand. ^^;;


	18. Last Touch

**Chapter 18: Last Touch**

"A talk…" Yuuichirou repeated, voice showing disbelief for the man before him as he snatched his wrist away sharply. "Really, Mika… A talk at this time? You're joking…"

"No, I'm not." The alpha confirmed firmly as he crossed his arms on his chest. "There is obviously something going on in your mind. You never reacted that way to anyone you barely knew, Yuu-chan. But after what you said…"

Mikaela glanced away, hands tightening on his arms at the memory of Yuuichirou yelling at him about his uncle before he met Yuuichirou's eyes again. "… You clearly had some history with my uncle. Why is that? I want… I need to know."

The beta pursed his lips as he looked at the ground like there was something out of place there, completely avoiding Mikaela's gaze at him as he too crossed his arms on his chest. He never thought he would reveal everything to the alpha at this particular moment, given his temper that was rising gradually and threatening to take over his mentality for a bit. Yuuichirou wanted it to happen when they were comfortable with each other; when Mikaela would accept whatever horrifying truth the beta might spill about his past and comfort him about it, supporting him and giving him words of encouragement.

But now that Ferid showed himself in the _flesh_ , and the fact that Mikaela told him about his relationship with him was that of the familial kind, Yuuichirou just didn't know what to think of anymore. Heck, even his feelings for Mikaela were becoming confusing, and all he wanted to do was to lock himself in his bedroom and to sleep; to forget that Mikaela was related to the bastard who ruined him in any shape or form.

Sadly though, something as simple as that wasn't option, especially when Mikaela was this determined to get answers from him.

"… You wouldn't understand, Mika." He finally said with a huff, closing his eyes as his frown deepened. "Especially when that bastard is your uncle."

Mikaela furrowed his brow at how Yuuichirou indignantly addressed Ferid and he could feel irritation coming into him. "That's why you have to tell me… so that I could understand, Yuu-chan." He repeated, voice deepening. "I can't have you bad mouthing him when he was the one who inspired me to take up a medical course."

"Oh, he did, huh?" A hysteric smile crept on Yuuichirou's face as he puzzled the pieces together and he found himself laughing softly at the coincidence that he had to cover his eyes with a hand. "Yeah, now I know… Given with how he is so, so knowledgeable with chemistry and drugs and even earned a doctorate title and a fucking license. Who wouldn't be _inspired_?"

Mikaela was stunned speechless as Yuuichirou enumerated all of Ferid's achievements almost like he knew him personally and it roused something inside him that was a mix of suspicion and vigilance. The same feeling he had when Yuuichirou attacked him at that one time after his rutting season. And it honestly scared him. "… How did you know this, Yuu-chan? I never told you about him."

"How…?" Yuuichirou scoffed as he lift his head and uncovered his now deeply colored, violet irises while looking at Mikaela with that disturbing smile still on his lips, almost like he was on the verge of losing his sanity. "That asshole kidnapped me three years ago. He took me to his house where he kept me captive for months, Mika. _Months_."

Mikaela could only stare back awed and in doubt at Yuuichirou's words. He never imagined or remembered his uncle being responsible for such crime that it was difficult to accept the beta's accusations.

"Are you sure, Yuu-chan? You could be imagining things…" The alpha said with a shake of his head. "I've known my uncle to be the lovable, family kind since he usually visits me and my mother in the past... And he told me he was on a business trip three years ago."

"That's a lie!" Yuuichirou gritted his teeth as his hands clenched into fists by his sides. "There was no business trip, Mika! He―" He paused for a while, sucking in a deep breath before he yelled. "He raped me!"

Blue eyes widened at the claim as the soft panting of the beta resonated in the area. Mikaela had turned quiet, making the atmosphere in the room stagnantly heavy that created a dreadful feeling in the pit of Yuuichirou's stomach.

The alpha surely must have thought he had lost it by now by the statement, but Yuuichirou wouldn't take any chances. He needed Mikaela to understand or he might just break.

"Please, believe me, Mika." He _pleaded_ with his voice laced with desperation as the all too familiar of crying rose up to his chest. "That's… That's what happened between me and your uncle three years ago. That's why I… I…"

Mikaela watched Yuuichirou's form trembling as he struggled to react; to say something, but his mind was blank. Empty. Actually, it completely shut out when the beta said that he was raped by his _uncle_ , of all people, and Mikaela had a difficult time taking it in.

He wanted to believe what Yuuichirou said, but memories of his uncle and the memories of his childhood came running in and he found himself growing condescending towards the beta, his alpha instincts slowly taking over as he opened his mouth. "… You have to prove it, Yuu-chan."

Yuuichirou flinched. "What…?"

"You heard me." Mikaela said in a deep, commanding tone while he looked down on the beta. "How can I believe you when you don't have solid evidence? You could be lying to me."

This made something inside Yuuichirou snap, making him see a bit of red in his vision as he bared his teeth offensively against the alpha. "You want a fucking proof even after I have begged you?! Are you shitting me, Mika?!"

Blind rage flowed through the beta, and before he knew it, he walked up towards Mikaela's space and grabbed the alpha by his shirt collar forceful enough to have the other stumbling slightly as their faces were brought close. While Mikaela was amazed by Yuuichirou's strength, Yuuichirou was trying his hardest not to land a punch on the alpha, using whatever will he had left to still himself from harming the person he learned to love as more than just a family.

He would damn himself if he dared to harm Mikaela that way. The emotional pain that he purposely inflicted on him was already bad enough.

"I―!" Yuuichirou's fist against the cloth was quivering from gripping it so hard, but he couldn't bring himself to care one bit as he went toe to toe with the alpha, eyes fully turning red with absolute fury running through his veins. "I trusted you! I thought you would know what the hell I'm feeling when I'm off my game! I-I thought…"

Pursing his lips to control his nearly hysterical feelings, he closed his eyes for a while as he steadied his breathing that had somehow increased due to the rush of adrenaline in his body and he bumped his head softly on Mikaela's shoulder. He could feel tears begin to run down his face from his pent up anger and he inhaled Mikaela's scent deeply to calm him down. It helped in a way, but it wasn't enough to soothe the rage within entirely.

"… I thought you _understand_ me, Mika." Yuuichirou finished his sentence with a growl rumbling low in his throat before he released his fingers from Mikaela's now wrinkled shirt, arm falling languidly by his side as he kept his head low with the bangs of his hair covering his eyes. "… But now I see that you don't regardless of the things that happened between us for a whole month..."

Swaying a bit, Yuuichirou moved so that he walked past Mikaela, his mind was very much done and ready to forget everything that happened tonight in the blink of an eye. But he felt his wrist being caught which made him stop walking immediately as Mikaela spoke up.

"That's not true, Yuu-chan! I do know how you feel, but it's just that I need to know why you held so much contempt for my uncle! And I just want you to give me some proof―"

Mikaela didn't finish what he was saying when Yuuichirou turned around to face him in the next second with his free hand raised up and striking him across the face in a hard slap, giving rise to a visible red mark on Mikaela's cheek and making the alpha stumble back with a look of surprise etched on his face.

It practically took a few minutes for Yuuichirou to realize what he done and he stared in horror as he slowly stepped back from an unresponsive Mikaela. "S-Shit, I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I…"

Mikaela palmed his stinging cheek as he looked back at Yuuichirou, expression unchanged from its shock state. He never expected Yuuichirou to hurt him; like actually _hurt_ him. Yuuichirou may threat him but he knew that the beta didn't have it in him to physically hurt him, and this left Mikaela not knowing how to react properly at the sudden blow.

Instincts told him that he should be angry at the beta for hitting him like that; for defying someone of his status as an alpha, yet all he ever felt was anxiousness that he might have pushed Yuuichirou a bit too far given the fear visible on his face.

"… Yuu-chan." He murmured softly as he reached out for him but the action just caused the beta to tense up and turn on his heels to run up to his room with a slam of his door, leaving Mikaela alone in the cold living room.

* * *

"… I fucked up." Yuuichirou muttered as he curled himself like a ball with his form being covered by the thick blankets of his bed and hugging his black teddy bear on his chest. He had changed to a more comfortable wear now that the fashion show was over, and he intended to sleep but he was too bothered to even close his eyes.

He couldn't get what happened between him and Mikaela out of his mind, and his memory instantly landed on where he slapped Mikaela across the face. Even now, he could still feel the lingering sting of the impact on his palm and it just made him all the more guilty with what he did.

Yuuichirou didn't mean to do that; it was purely out of instinct… or maybe frustration that Mikaela was so insistent on having a solid proof in order for him believe a word that he said. Well, with how Ferid was related to Mikaela by blood, it was only natural for Mikaela to defend him from his claim.

Yet, even so, it made Yuuichirou feel alone, _very_ alone and betrayed like he was against the world, and it undeniably hurt.

Biting his lips as his eyes began to tear up again, he buried his head on his crossed his arms while he began to sob softly, wishing that he would just shut everything away. He could barely breathe, especially with the news of Guren's arrival hovering in his thoughts.

 _I only have a few more hours before I could go back to Japan with Guren… and I didn't tell Mika about it because I was angry. How stupid could I get?_

As he was wallowing in his own stupidity, his ears perked up when he heard a soft knock on his door and a muffled voice at the other side.

"… Yuu-chan, I… I know this is weird after what happened between us, but…" Mikaela's voice sounded hesitant, but nonetheless, he continued. "Can I come in?"

Yuuichirou stayed in his position on the bed, silent for a long while until he mumbled an audible, "… Come in."

He heard the door creaking open slowly, followed by the soft padding of Mikaela's feet on the maple wood floor, then finally, the dipping of weight on his mattress. All through it, Yuuichirou didn't raise his head to see the alpha until he felt a warm hand on his knee.

Slowly, he lifted his head up, peeking at the person before him while tightening his hold on his teddy bear as his eyes met Mikaela's concerned ones, idly taking note of the alpha's change of clothing as well. He expected the alpha to appear livid, but he sensed no sign of it and Yuuichirou didn't know how to respond to it.

"… I'm not angry, Yuu-chan." Mikaela said, somewhat sensing what the beta was puzzled about as he rubbed Yuuichirou's knee in comforting caresses. "I was just surprised, shocked, but definitely not angry. I could never get angry at you on a normal basis, but this is my family we are talking about…"

"I know… You had every right, Mika. I'm sorry."

Mikaela shook his head. "No. I should be the one apologizing. I pushed you to a corner when you needed encouragement. You were frenzied by your feelings. I should've calmed you down first before going all out." The alpha sighed with a small, genuine smile curving on his lips as he raised his hand from Yuuichirou's knee to cup his cheek, his eyes were honest. "I guess I deserved it. The slap…"

Yuuichirou stared at Mikaela for a bit before he too raised a hand, cautiously reaching out to palm Mikaela's wounded cheek tenderly that earned him a soft grunt, but Mikaela never showed any hints of wanting his hand to be removed which prompt Yuuichirou to rub his thumb against the skin. He noticed that it was a little cold on his hand. Mikaela must have put ice on it before entering his room.

"… Does it still hurt?" The beta asked after a moment of simply touching Mikaela's cheek.

"A bit. You sure hit me good."

Yuuichirou flushed in embarrassment when Mikaela chuckled for a while, hearing it die down in his throat as he felt a thumb wipe his tear stained cheek. "… You cried."

Yuuichirou pursed his lips, looking away as he nodded his head. Then, he heard the bed shuffle and more weight dipping in as his face was fully cupped on Mikaela's hands, followed by a kiss on his crown. The kiss made him jump a bit and the urged to push Mikaela away immediately came up, but he stopped himself in time especially when Mikaela started spreading butterfly kisses all over his face and whispering kind words against his ear.

Shivers ran up and down his spine at the loving treatment, making his heart swell with the very familiar warmth of need for the other and he released a sigh he never knew he kept. Fuck, he missed it; he missed Mikaela's touches so, so much that it ached physically, mentally, emotionally... He wanted more. He _needed_ more.

Unfolding himself, Yuuichirou wrapped his arms around Mikaela just as Mikaela was kissing his jaw and portions of his neck near his scent glands. He was panting lightly now as he craned his head near Mikaela's ear, tucking some of his blond hair behind before murmuring in a low voice. "… More. Mika, I need… more."

"Shh, it's alright. _Eto khorosho, moya lyubov'…_ (It's alright, my love…)" The alpha cooed gently as he pulled on Yuuichirou's green hoodie to reveal his neck before he rubbed himself on his scent glands, relishing the fragrance of the raven on his nose and their slowly intermingled scents in the air while his hands travelled down on Yuuichirou's waist and held him close.

Yuuichirou whined through closed lips, preventing a guttural moan from escaping as Mikaela began to pepper kisses, licks and small bites on the junction of his neck and his collarbone, making him tremble at how sensitive it became. His breathing gradually turned ragged and labored with heat pooling down in his belly from the sensation of Mikaela's lips on his skin, steadily working him up to arousal.

"Mika… Mika… Mika…" The raven chanted the alpha's name in between pants, saying it like it was the only thing that he knew as he gripped the back of Mikaela's cream colored shirt, back arching and pressing himself on the alpha almost desperately.

"Yuu-chan…" Mikaela sighed breathlessly against one of his flushed ears before giving the lobe a nibble and a suck which coaxed a groan and a delicious quiver from Yuuichirou.

The alpha wished he could go further, go against their boundaries and make love with the person before him, but he willed himself to stop. He wasn't one to take advantage of Yuuichirou who he now knew was (partly) unstable when it came to his emotions despite his crave for touches… for comfort.

Exhaling, he hugged Yuuichirou tightly as their breathing deliberately calmed down. After a few moments, he felt a lenient punch on his gut and a sound of disappointment from the beta.

"You are the worst… Making me feel so worked up after what you pulled off…" Yuuichirou grumbled and did another soft punch as if scolding Mikaela. "Definitely the worst…"

Mikaela laughed weakly. "I would gladly do more than that, Yuu-chan. But…" The alpha leisurely slipped his arms away from Yuuichirou so that they were now looking at each other face-to-face, staring with direct eye contact. "What you need now is comfort, not… _that_. Trust me."

Yuuichirou frowned with a small pout before he took one of Mikaela's wrists and rubbed it absentmindedly with his thumb. "Yeah, comfort… And you know what will make it even better?"

"… What?"

"Sleeping with me."

Mikaela's cheeks quickly flushed a beet red and he sighed, disagreeing. "No. I already told you that―"

"―I didn't mean it that way, Mika." Yuuichirou snickered, his lips forming a lopsided smile as the alpha's face burned brighter in embarrassment. "Just for tonight… I want you to sleep beside me. Please…"

The alpha waited for a moment, taking in what Yuuichirou said before opening his mouth. "… What brought this on, Yuu-chan? You never…"

 _Ah, there it is…_

Yuuichirou closed his eyes as he breathed in evenly, his hold on Mikaela's wrist tightening as he said what he wanted to say to Mikaela.

"I'm leaving, Mika… I'm going back to Japan tomorrow, and my father is coming here to pick me up…"

Mikaela could have sworn he stopped breathing after hearing that as his thoughts immediately zeroed on Yuuichirou leaving. "You're… You're leaving…" He repeated, sounding extremely incredulous. "A-and soon? Yuu-chan, that's…"

"I know." Yuuichirou sighed as he explained. "The call was received when I was changing for Krul's fashion show. It was rather sudden, but nonetheless, the message was loud and clear. That's why…"

He moved his hand from Mikaela's wrist down to his fingers where he interlaced their fingers together and offered a bittersweet smile to the alpha. "… Please grant me this last request, Mika."

Mikaela felt his cheeks becoming wet, his own set of tears suddenly falling from his eyes as he stared at Yuuichirou. His lips quivered from letting it hang agape before he thinned it into a line and lifted his hand, the one where Yuuichirou had their fingers locked, to kiss Yuuichirou's knuckles, his warm breath ghosting over the honey skin.

"… If I'm the worst, then you're the cruelest." He commented with his own bittersweet smile as he used his other hand to wipe his tears away. "Alright, but can you also grant me a request? I don't want to make this a one-sided thing."

Fondness showed in those green irises, shining with love as Yuuichirou nodded, accepting Mikaela's terms. "Anything, Mika. Tell me."

Mikaela's cheeks bloom a healthy shade of pink again and he remained quiet for a bit before opening his mouth. "… Mark."

"Hm?"

"Can I mark you, Yuu-chan?"

Yuuichirou blinked for a moment, his surprised expression turning that to a grim one as he glanced away. "Mika, I already told you that you can't mark a beta out of wedlock. What's the point of it when it will just disappear?"

"I just… I'm curious, okay? I want to know what it feels like… marking someone, I mean."

This made Yuuichirou snort. "… You're really something, you know."

The beta shifted to a more comfortable position as nervousness surged through his body and he felt his fingertips starting to tingle on Mikaela's hand. "So… Where exactly do you want to mark me?"

"… Right here." Mikaela turned over their entwined hands, exposing Yuuichirou's wrist to him as he leaned in and gave the skin a kiss, sending a shiver on the beta. "That way, you can hide it in case it doesn't completely disappear."

"How thoughtful of you." Yuuichirou teased before his breath hitched once he felt Mikaela's tongue on him again.

The small, wet pink muscle licked strips and swirls around the delicate skin, and Yuuichirou was watching it all. He didn't know that looking at such a thing could be so… hot. It made him gulp this invisible lump stuck in his throat as he viewed Mikaela preparing his skin with his tongue.

He wasn't foreign to marking thanks to Ferid, but unlike at that time, it wasn't anything like this. Ferid would just bite him hard all over so suddenly. He didn't care which places he would leave his marks and it hurt like hell.

But, Mikaela was different. He was doing what was a common marking etiquette and he chose his wrist because he didn't want Yuuichirou to be in trouble in case it didn't disappear as quickly as he predicted. It made his heart skip a beat at how much Mikaela put so much thought into this.

 _All the more reasons why I love him…_

A smile curved on his lips and he found himself wanting to be marked despite his trauma and he urged Mikaela by placing his free hand on his soft, yellow hair, caressing the alpha's locks. "Go ahead, Mika. Mark me."

Mikaela looked up at Yuuichirou, seeking permission before nodding his head. With a last, lingering lick, Mikaela opened his mouth and bit down on the skin… _hard_.

"―Ngh!" Yuuichirou jumped and gritted his teeth at the pain coursing through as he faintly saw beads of blood coming and sliding out of his skin. He could have sworn he was also gripping Mikaela's hair because of it. But he didn't dare to pull away. If anything, he stayed still as he waited for Mikaela to finish marking him.

It ended as fast as it came when Mikaela released the bite and laved his tongue on the wound, licking the drops of blood clean. The mark throbbed in dull pain, almost like a pulse which made Yuuichirou partially scared to look since it reminded him at how grotesque they were.

Mikaela seemed to sense this in Yuuichirou's scent and he quickly gave the mark a kiss. "It's alright, Yuu-chan. It doesn't look bad."

Yuuichirou blushed in embarrassment. "H-Huh? I-I wasn't even thinking about that…"

"Your scent gave it away." Mikaela simply stated with a chuckle which was smothered by a pillow Yuuichirou took by the side.

"Really, you…" The beta grunted, though he didn't sound mad when he said it. In fact, he sounded playful before everything went downhill and it made Mikaela smile that Yuuichirou was feeling better.

"Ah, now would you look at time... It's getting kind of late, and I have a…" Yuuichirou paused mid-sentence and a look of dread appeared on his face as he continued. "I have a… plane to catch tomorrow."

"… Right." Mikaela murmured as he stared at Yuuichirou with concern before he reached out and hugged the beta again. "I guess… this is goodbye."

Yuuichirou could only nod his head in agreement; his throat feeling restricted into saying his farewell to the other as he hugged Mikaela back and closed his eyes, completely savoring this warmth, closeness and scent for as long as he could even as Mikaela moved to lie them down on the bed and called it a night.

"Good night, Yuu-chan, and…" Yuuichirou could feel Mikaela's hold on him tighten as he sensed a shift in Mikaela's aura before a soft whisper was heard. "… _Ya lyublyu tebya._ (… I love you.)"

Yuuichirou bit his lips to prevent himself from crying as he hugged Mikaela tightly while he waited for sleep to claim him, all the while with a single thought in his mind to the alpha's confession.

 _I love you too._


	19. Reminiscence

**Chapter 19: Reminiscence**

The sun basked the window of Yuuichirou's room as Mikaela slept peaceful, completely unaware of the other occupant buttoning up his black dress shirt. Yuuichirou was staring blankly at his reflection on the full body sized mirror as he mechanically dressed himself up. Once he finished, he turned his gaze to Mikaela surrounded by all of those pillows and he nodded to himself that it was finally time.

Reaching it out for a paper and pen, Yuuichirou began to write a letter for Mikaela to read later, making sure that he wrote whatever he had to say once the alpha woke up and tried not to shed a single tear even if he was on the verge of crying when he was halfway through it. He made sure he was quick with it since he only had a few more minutes before Guren would come to pick him up.

Signing the paper, he proceeded to get one of his bookmark sized piece of paper and bit down on his index finger the same manner he did on the blood charm and wrote on it with a different set of patterns; the one that was served for recording and replaying memories. Yuuichirou stared at the charm for a while before placing it on his head and let the charm do its work recording his memories of what happened. There wouldn't be any perfect evidence than real memories if Mikaela wanted proof.

I hope you'll play everything to understand, Mika… As disgusting as it may be…

Sighing, Yuuichirou secured the letter and the charm together to make sure none of them get separated and placed them beside Mikaela with his teddy bear, leaning over for a bit. He petted the Salt King's head softly with a small smile forming on his lips as he murmured. "Watch over for Mika for me, yeah? Keep him company when he's alone. And Mika…"

He looked at Mikaela's sleeping form and caressed his hair gently, making sure it didn't wake him up as he whispered. "Thank you for… everything, really. It was short, but… I had a great time being with you. And I…" He paused for a while, biting his bottom lip before continuing. "I love you, you handsome, teasing, hopeless romantic, Russian idiot. I'm not supposed to feel this way, given where we stand in society, and yet here we are. And in a span of one month, no less… Pretty crazy, huh?"

Yuuichirou chuckled softly, smiling fondly at the memories as he removed his hand from Mikaela's hair. "I… I hope you won't forget me after I left because… I know that I certainly won't forget you even if we are miles away…"

Pursing his lips, Yuuichirou stood up from the bed and turned to leave when he heard Mikaela say something. "… I love you, Yuu-chan… Please don't leave me…"

Yuuichirou stopped walking with a soft gasp as tears finally began to pour down his face. He covered his mouth to stop the noises from coming out that might wake up the other as he slowly started walking again, feeling his chest becoming heavy as he grabbed his coat and luggage before leaving their shared apartment room with a sad smile.

Really, Mika… You're the worst…

* * *

Mikaela blinked slowly as the sunlight kissed his skin and he sighed, nuzzling himself on Yuuichirou's sheets and pillows and inhaling the beta's scent before shifting to the other side as his mouth immediately formed a name. "Yuu-chan?"

But all he was greeted at was an empty space, a black stuffed bear and a letter. From there, Mikaela quickly took a hold of the situation and became crestfallen at what he saw.

That's right. Today, Yuu-chan is…

He shook his head as he sat up and yawned for a while before looking down at the letter beside him. For some reason, he was afraid to open and read it, but at same time, it could be something valuable.

Well, if Yuu-chan did leave it here, that must mean that he wants me to read it right away… right?

Gingerly taking the letter, Mikaela slowly opened it to read, his eyes scanning Yuuichirou's handwriting and the words that were there.

[[Mika,

I want to say thank you for everything. Thank you for accepting me entirely when you had every right to scorn me for letting you lose your precious car and your career. I can't express how grateful I am to you when you willingly came to my side, guiding me, and making me feel protected in France. It made me feel… special, I admit.

Although, I'm greatly sorry for getting you into something that you weren't supposed to be involved in. I never wanted anyone to be dragged into this. I always worry over the possibilities of you getting hurt because of me. I know that I shouldn't stress myself over it, but still… After how far we got to know each other for a whole month, I… I cherish you a lot.]]

Mikaela's eyes widened a bit, pausing as his breath hitched when he read the last set of words before continuing.

[[You have become very important to me, Mika. More than you can ever imagine. That's why… for the past two days, it was painful for me to lie to you and your mother when I said that I only saw you as a brotherly figure or a close friend when I clearly saw you as someone more than that. I thought I could do it… I thought I could endure it… But, when it came down to it, I only end up hurting the both us, and for that, I'm sorry.

I'm deeply, deeply sorry if I made you feel rejected and hurt. I should have explained to you why I did it, but I fear that if I told you about it, you would have become overprotective of me. I didn't want that because I want to protect you, Mika. You did so much for me and I didn't want to put your life at risk due to my status as the Japanese Prime Minister's son. I might never forgive myself if such a thing were to happen to you.]]

"… You're too kind, Yuu-chan." Mikaela murmured as his fingers traced the words as he felt his eyes began to water before continuing.

[[And also… I'm sorry about our argument last night. You weren't the only one at fault. I kept far too many secrets for you to know what I felt, so I understand why you got angry at me. You deserve to know the reason why. And for that, I left a memory charm along with this letter, but please, activate the charm after reading this letter.

… Mika, I… I wished our time together could have been longer. A whole month being with you was like a dream. I know that sounded so damn cheesy, but that's what I truly feel. It just… felt so freeing, so right to be with you where we could tease the hell out of each other, explore new things together, laugh our hearts out or just simply sit side by side in peace.

Ah, I'm going to miss those times… and I'm definitely going to miss you. A lot.

But, as life goes on, it's time for us to move forward. I'm absolutely going to pay for the repairs of your car, the maintenance of your mansion and also for the refunding of your internship as thanks for putting up with my dilemma. It might take a while though, but I never break my promises, that's for damn sure.

I hope you'll live a good life in the future, Mika. And I hope that you would still remember me no matter how far apart we are. I know for certain that I won't forget you since you left such an impact in my life even if our time was short, and chances of us seeing each other again are pretty slim to none.

But, even so, the memories that we shared together were more than enough for me and they'll remain forever in my heart.

Because of that, thank you… Thank you so much for being a part of my life, Mikaela Tepes.

Yuuichirou

P.S.: I love you.]]

Mikaela felt a tear drop on his cheek and land on the letter, smudging the letters a bit as a smile curved on his lips as his shoulders became light while he peacefully accepted Yuuichirou's departure while murmuring. "Really… You're pretty cruel, Yuu-chan."

He allowed himself a moment to shed some tears to calm himself and also to even out his breathing before he had to deal with a serious matter at hand.

* * *

A scripted charm rested in front of Mikaela as he wondered how to activate it. He wasn't very familiar with how Shintoism charms work, so he was dealing this situation with extreme caution.

"Do I just… touch it for activation, or does it need a blood sacrifice?" He asked himself, idly remembering in Yuuichirou's letter that he would just 'activate' it. And knowing Yuuichirou, he wouldn't make something that would make Mikaela hurt himself over as simple as a charm.

Deciding on his first option, he hesitantly reached for it. When it came in contact with his finger, Mikaela immediately found himself in a different room that wasn't Yuuichirou's bedroom in the apartment. The room appeared to be a bedroom of some sort, given the king-sized bed in the middle, the amount of polished, wooden furniture and the windows that draped elegant, dark blue curtains.

"Where am I…? Is this the memory?"

As he was wondering himself, the door of the room banged open and a tall man with black hair and violet eyes wearing something like a military uniform entered the room with a grumpy look on his face. Mikaela was immediately scared shitless as he froze in place, fearing that the man might see him. But as the man walked (stomped) towards him, he went through Mikaela's form like Mikaela was a ghost before screaming at the bed before him.

"Damn brat, I thought I told you to wake up at 7 o'clock sharp! Why the hell are you still sleeping?!" The man grasped a handful of blankets to reveal… a child version of Yuuichirou curled up to a pillow.

Mikaela immediately blushed at what he saw before the younger form of Yuuichirou opened his eyes and glared at the man who dared to ruin his sleep. "It's normal for kids like me to oversleep, Dad. A total of eight hours is essential for a healthy, growing lifestyle."

The man―Yuuichirou's father―had one of his eyebrows twitched in annoyance before he punched his son's head which made Yuuichirou yelp and sit up immediately, holding his throbbing head. "Yeah, well, you're not like those normal kids, Yuu. You're the son of the Japanese Prime Minister, and as such, you have certain responsibilities to uphold."

Yuuichirou blanched. "At this age? Cut me some slack, Dad. I'm only sixteen years old!"

"The younger you are, the better." Yuuichirou's father said as he rearranged a golden insignia on his clothes. "And what a perfect chance to show what you've learned when we have a guest coming."

"A guest…?" Yuuichirou perked up at the sound and he gazed at his father in wonder. "Who is it?"

"The one and only Russian Prime Minister. We both agreed to see each other's countries to know which fields to improve on; be it financially, economically or labor. We basically give him a tour and a background of our country's upbringing and we get feedbacks." Yuuichirou's father explained proudly before looking back at Yuuichirou with haste. "Which is why I told you to wake up early because he is going to arrive anytime soon now and you aren't even prepared yet."

Yuuichirou blushed in embarrassment and he quickly got out of his bed. "W-What am I going to do?! I… Is my clothes prepared?! Is breakfast ready?! Do I still have time to take a quick shower?!"

"My, my, calm down, Yuu dear." A gentle voice caught their attention and the two of them saw a woman with barley wheat hair and brown eyes wearing a cotton sundress enter the room, her expression was radiant. "Of course, we still have time. Although, we'll be a bit delayed, but I'm sure Dad will give us some time by stalling our guest through conversation and refreshments."

Yuuichirou's father looked at her wearily. "… Sayuri. You may complement me for having good impromptu speeches, but stalling a guest is…"

Sayuri chuckled as she looked at him. "You can do it, Guren. I believe in you."

Guren sighed in defeat as he rubbed his head. "… Just let Yuu be ready before lunch. I'm sure our guest would like to see the two of you during his visit."

"You can count on it. Now, go. I'm sure he'll be arriving soon in the front."

"Yeah, yeah…" Guren dismissed it as he turned around to leave, but he paused at the doorway and gave Yuuichirou a warning glare. "And no pranks around the house, you hear?"

Yuuichirou tensed up like he was caught in doing something illegal before he groaned, pouting. "Fine, Dad."

Sayuri giggled as soon as Guren left them alone and she petted Yuuichirou's head gently in a comforting gesture. "Now, now, Yuu… This guest is extremely important, so please, you have to restrain yourself for a bit, okay? Just for a week."

"But, Mom…"

"I'll reward you by letting you come with me during shopping."

Yuuichirou immediately shot up with his head nodding. "Deal."

"My, your love for going outside is as active as ever." Sayuri pointed out with a smile as she took a bath towel from the drawer near Yuuichirou's bed while Yuuichirou began to unbutton his pajamas.

"The outside world has so many things I don't know of like the common food of the people, the games and the different places, Mom. And also… Whenever I'm outside, I feel like I can whatever I want and no one will judge me for it." Yuuichirou's eyes shone brightly as he enthusiastically said that.

"I see." Sayuri nodded as she gave her son the towel. "It's a good thing that I have to buy something for a friend of mine after the visit of the Russian Prime Minister. We both get to go outside and have some fun."

Yuuichirou's grin widened and he quickly grabbed his towel as he stood up from his bed. "Cool! I get to see a lot of people, different kinds of places―"

"―Ah, but we're bringing Shinoa-chan with us."

The raven's face immediately morphed into a shocked one when he heard that his playmate was coming along and he whined. "… Huh? Why?"

"I thought that you would need someone to talk to while I busy myself with the salesladies and managers. I can't have you going alone all by yourself while I'm distracted." Sayuri explained, giving Yuuichirou a reassuring smile.

"But you gave me a protective charm…!"

"Even so, sweetie... As much as the outside world is fun, it can also be dangerous. And as your mother, I worry about your safety." The beta woman said solidly as she turned around to open Yuuichirou's closet. "You may have come of age, but please keep in mind that you haven't presented yet, and that is one of the things I'm worried about."

"But Dad, he… he trained me to become an alpha o-or a beta at most. I wouldn't worry much about my presentation, Mom."

"Presentations aren't based on what you do, Yuu, dear. It's purely out of chance with a bit of genetics involved here and there. You have to be cautious and prepare for the unexpected." Sayuri said once she picked a clean button-up shirt and a pair of black suspenders. "I didn't mean to doubt what you'll be once you presented, but… I'm saying that you have to be careful when that time will come. You'll need a day or two for your body to adjust to want you'll be presented to be."

Yuuichirou pursed his lips as he nodded, taking in his mother's words with a small frown but still understanding her concern for him. "O-Okay, Mom… If it doesn't worry you much…"

Sayuri's expression softened and she folded the clothes neatly on the bed before she approached her son and knelt down in front of him so that they were facing each other. "I'm not entirely taking your freedom, sweetheart, but I want you to understand… The last time you went out, you nearly had a car accident from saving Mitsuba's playing ball after you saw her cry…"

Yuuichirou blushed and he quickly turned away. "It… It was my fault why the ball went that far, so I have to take responsibility…"

Sayuri giggled before cupping her son's face. "You're worried for her, weren't you, honey?"

The raven's face could impossibly grow redder at that fact and his green eyes glanced away shyly from his mother's, pouting his lips. Sayuri giggled at the cute reaction before she leaned close and kissed Yuuichirou on his forehead and led him to the bathroom.

"… So that's Yuu-chan's mother." Mikaela murmured as he watched them disappear and the scenery faded to black for a bit before turning to another portion of the memory while he hummed in wonder. "… How did she die?"

"… And that's how Japan's current business is flowing, Sir." Guren's voice made Mikaela turn his attention at the man who was sitting down on a table with a tea set and cupcakes and talking professionally to another man across him with blonde hair. "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Hmm, not really... With how well the input and output processes are being handled with so much care and dedication by the employees, the flow of business in your country is outstanding. Haroshaya rabota. (Great job.)" The man complimented with a smile. "Oh, and… Don't call me 'Sir', Guren. We were acquaintances before so you don't have to act so formal to me."

Hearing that, Guren slightly frowned. "We were acquainted, yes, but I didn't give you permission to use my first name, Shindo."

This Shindo person chuckled meekly. "Really, even though we were chemistry lab partners?"

"That's a long time ago; things change." Guren said stiffly as he sat straight up and crossed his arms on his chest. "As far as I'm concerned, our time during medicine school is over and we are now standing as the leaders of our respective country."

Shindo hummed in thought. "True… But it isn't so bad to reminisce the past for a bit, yeah?"

"… Honestly, I'd rather not recall such," Guren replied with a sigh before taking his cup of tea and sipping it silently. "Especially with some unpleasant memories…"

"Guren… Does it have something to do with Krul dropping out because of―"

"―Enough." Guren raised his voice as he lowered his tea cup. "What happened in the past couldn't be undone… No matter how many times we tried to redeem ourselves. However, you knew you were at fault during that time, Shindo. You were supposed to take responsibility."

"Hey, hey, I tried, okay? But, my folks just… After they knew about it, they immediately transferred me to a school in Russia where I spent my remaining college years. I wanted to take responsibility; I really do, but―"

"―Master Guren." One of the servants greeted and bowed respectfully to the two Prime Ministers present in the room. "Mistress Sayuri and your son are on their way here."

Guren nodded with a hum. "I see… Send them in."

"Yes, Sir."

Shindo immediately perked up at the sound of Guren's wife and son coming in the room and he couldn't control the delighted squeal from escaping. "Oh, my… You're letting me see your wife and son? How nice of you, Guren."

"Shut up. I'm only doing this because it's part of etiquette, in case you come running back here for business proposals and such. Don't take it personal."

Shindo pouted. "Fine, fine… You know, you could be such the bully sometimes, Guren."

Guren frowned at that before the twin doors of the dining room opened with Sayuri coming in with a smile with Yuuichirou following… but hiding behind her skirt nervously.

"Good day, gentlemen. I hope I'm not interrupting something." Sayuri greeted with a respective nod of her head before she gasped softly, her eyes looking over at the Russian Prime Minister. "Oh, you… Are you… perhaps, Shindo-senpai?"

"Sayuri-chan!" Shindo stood up from his seat with a huge smile. "It's been a long while. I wasn't expecting to see you like this again, though…" The Russian Prime Minister looked fondly at her before he looked below her dress where he saw a boy hiding behind it. "And who do we have here?"

"Ah, this is Yuuichirou." Sayuri said as she gave a small pat on Yuuichirou's head behind her. "He's pretty cautious when it comes to strangers…"

"Heeh, that kind of reminds me of a certain someone back then…" Shindo chuckled as his eyes darted briefly to Guren knowingly who huffed as he ignored his former colleague to drink his tea.

"Hello there, Yuu…" Shindo knelt low so that he was eye level with the child as he smiled. Yuuichirou tightened his hold on his mother's skirt in reaction. "It's nice to meet you. I'm the Russian Prime Minister, Shindo."

"I… It's nice to meet you too, Sir…"

"Please, you can call me 'Shindo-san'. Calling me 'Sir' makes me feel old and professional." Shindo laughed a bit before he hummed. "Say, Yuu… Since you are still of the learning age and not presented yet, are you interested in learning another language besides Japanese and English?"

Yuuichirou flustered at that. "I… W-Well, I am, but… I need to work more on my English. If I learn another now, that would just…"

"Ahaha, no worries, no worries. All that matters is that you are willing to learn. And I'm sure the Russian language will be pretty useful for you since we now have an alliance, don't you think so?"

"W-Well…" Yuuichirou looked down shyly while he fidgeted. "I… I guess…"

"Great. I'll be sending over workbooks for you, and you don't have to worry since you can learn it during your free time."

"… Hey, don't go throwing bullshit at my son without my permission, Shindo." Guren pointed out with snide as he gave the back of Shindo's head a glare.

"Aw, don't be like that, Guren. Think of it as an advantage. That way, you won't have to depend on a translator the entire time whenever you would want to visit Russia." Shindo smiled brightly at Guren who grimaced at the overly sunny expression while Sayuri giggled.

Mikaela just stared blankly at what happened, confusion rising everywhere as he tried to comprehend the entire situation. "So, Yuu-chan isn't presented yet, and the Russian Prime Minister visited… and offered to teach him Russian? And for some reason, the Russian Prime Minister knew my mother's name? What…?"

The alpha raked his hair in bewilderment as his mind tried to figure everything out before another memory played. This time, Mikaela found himself inside an expensive clothing store in broad daylight and he immediately saw Yuuichirou holding a book with a girl sitting beside him on the soft cushion.

"Yuu-san, you've been reading that Russian dictionary for the fifth time already. I feel like I'm being ignored…" A lilac-haired girl pouted as she stared at Yuuichirou with a copious amount of bodyguards surrounding them. "Is it really that interesting?"

"The Russian language is as complicated as shit. I'm trying to understand how it works, Shinoa." Yuuichirou said as he squint his eyes but his intense gaze was cut off when he heard Shinoa gasp and he turned to see her giving him a look.

"I never knew that someone as lazy as Yuu-san could be so dedicated if he puts his mind into it. He deserves a reward~" Shinoa teased with a smirk.

"H-Hey! I can be dedicated if I want to!"

"Your grades in the previous quizzes said the opposite."

"… Shut up." Yuuichirou scowled at her when Shinoa's teasing smirk wasn't let up.

It was then that he noticed someone through the glass wall of the store being chased around by other kids from the distance. He immediately stood up from his seat and walked away from Shinoa who was blinking in surprise.

"Huh? Yuu-san?" Shinoa turned her head a bit only to see Yuuichirou opening the store door to leave and she too jumped out from her seat, following Yuuichirou frantically. "W-Wait, Yuu-san! You can't just―Your mom will be worried…!"

"There's someone out there getting hurt! I have to do something!"

As the two of them were exiting the store, the bodyguards present told them to go back in the store to wait for Sayuri but Yuuichirou managed to breach through and ran across the street, which horrified Shinoa and the bodyguards as Yuuichirou disappeared to an alleyway.

"Whaddya mean you have no money, Saotome?" Yuuichirou overheard them from a corner as he peeked up to see the situation. "You said you'll pay us back so that we can protect your omegan ass, yeah? So where is it?"

"I-I'm sorry." A shaky voice apologized. "P-Please understand… M-My family is in a rough patch right now and are not earning as much. I-If you wait, I'm sure I'll―"

"Did you think we could wait, Saotome? You're practically a walking bait around the streets with your omega scent all over the place. If it weren't for us, you would have been fucked and claimed a long time ago."

"I-I know… I-It's just… I'm sorry…"

"Tch, ungrateful twat." The leader, from what Yuuichirou assumed, dropped the omega on the ground and he could have sworn he heard a bit of clothing being ripped apart. The sound of it immediately made Yuuichirou feel sick in his stomach and he clenched his dictionary tightly.

"W-What do you think you're doing?!"

"Well, if you can't pay us with money, we might as well have your body pay for―" The sentence wasn't completed when something heavy hit the leader at his head, letting him make a choked out noise as he turned his head around to glare. "Who the hell did that?!"

"I did." Yuuichirou said as he walked up to the bullies with a glare. "Because, apparently, there are some alphas out there who are nothing but animals from the wild."

"What was that, you punk?!"

"You heard me." Yuuichirou challenged as he went in a fighting stance. "An alpha such as yourself wouldn't ask such a dumb question when your hearing senses are top-notch."

"Why, you―"

The leader charged towards Yuuichirou with a raised fist which Yuuichirou quickly dodged when it was about to strike him and Yuuichirou landed a rather hard chop at the back of his head that rendered the alpha unconscious at once. When that was done, Yuuichirou turned to the others with his glare unrelenting.

"Who wants to go next?"

The other alphas cringed and they immediately left the scene with some of them screaming out "Screw this!" that echoed in the alleyway and Yuuichirou was left with the omega looking up at him in amazement.

"Hey… Are you okay?" Yuuichirou asked as he neared the trembling brunette.

"I-I'm fine thanks to you…" He said as he slowly stood up but he staggered a bit and Yuuichirou swiftly held his form right after he took back his dictionary from the ground. The omega blushed in embarrassment at what happened and he muttered an apology. "I-I'm sorry for this…"

"Nah, it's fine." Yuuichirou smiled down at the omega as he helped him up on his shoulder and walked him out of the alleyway where he was greeted with his mother fretting over him.

"Yuuichirou Ichinose. Care to explain to me why you just suddenly ran off from the store without bringing anyone with you?" Sayuri scolded with her arms folded on her chest as she frowned on her son who gave her a sheepish smile.

"Oh… I was just helping someone out, Mom." Yuuichirou said as he looked over to the omega beside him who was wearing the most priceless expressions ever, staring alternatively from Yuuichirou and his mother.

"W-Wait. You're Yuuichirou Ichinose?! T-The son of the P-Prime Minister?!"

Yuuichirou tilted his head in obliviousness. "Uh, yeah…? Why?"

The omega blushed as he looked away. "I… I'm sorry that you have to s-see me like this. I'm fine now, p-please let me go…"

"Huh? But you're injured, and by the looks of it, those assholes also broke your leg." Yuuichirou replied skeptically with a confused look.

At the mention of his wounds, the omega bit on his bottom lip as he looked down with his face red in shame. And Yuuichirou laughed at his rather cute reaction, ruffling that unruly brown hair for a while before looking up at his mother with a knowing look shining in his eyes.

Sayuri could only stare down at Yuuichirou before she sighed in defeat and took out her cellphone. "I'll inform Dad about our spontaneous trip to the hospital, but only because the one that you saved is cute."

"Thank you so much, Mom." Yuuichirou acknowledged with a smile before going back to the omega who was trying his best to avoid eye contact. "Oh, uhm… I forgot to ask about your name, by the way."

The brunette was silent for a while before he opened his mouth to speak. "… Saotome. Yoichi Saotome."

"Well, then, Yoichi. It looks like you'll be with me for a while." Yuuichirou said with a wink. "Let's get along, okay?"

Yoichi turned his head for a bit to meet Yuuichirou's grin before he felt his lips curving up the same thing on his face as he nodded. "… Yes."

Mikaela was speechless as he watched, seeing the memory transition to a hospital room with Yuuichirou, Shinoa (who was peeling apples) and Yoichi (who was on the bed) present.

"Ah, you're that Yoichi Saotome who is part of the scholarship program in school, right?" Shinoa perked up from her seat, pausing from her peeling as she smiled at Yoichi. "I wasn't expecting to meet you in this kind of way, but…"

Yoichi laughed sheepishly. "It's fine, Shinoa-san. Weird things happen, after all."

Shinoa hummed. "Still… To think alphas would do that to you…"

"Yeah, what gives?" Yuuichirou interrupted, facing Yoichi with a frown. "You already told them that you couldn't, and yet they…"

Yoichi's expression softened when he heard that, gratefulness blooming in his chest as he smiled. "Well… I did promise them that I would pay them weekly for protection but after what happened, I doubt they'll even come near me anymore."

"They better. If they won't, then they have to kiss their asses goodbye." Yuuichirou said as he cracked his knuckles.

"Ah, but... Why do you depend on their protection, Yoichi-san? Don't you have suppressants?" Shinoa asked as she took a bite from one of her newly peeled apples. "Every omega has one of those."

Yoichi's smile faltered for a bit before he looked down on his hands. "The truth is… My parents died in a car accident a month ago, leaving my sister and I to provide for ourselves. As a result, we've been experiencing a decline in our finances that I had to take the cheapest suppressant before we were drained dry…"

Yuuichirou and Shinoa were stunned at what the omega shared so openly and they were silent for a while before Yuuichirou opened his mouth. "It must've been hard on you, Yoichi… I'm sorry."

"Oh, don't be. It's alright, Yuuichirou-san." Yoichi reassured.

"Yuu."

"Huh?"

"You can call me 'Yuu' for short." The raven corrected with a grin as he added. "Since I decided that you'll become my personal servant once I presented!"

Yoichi blinked in surprise while Shinoa gaped in disbelief at Yuuichirou's announcement before she frowned. "Y-Yuu-san, you can't just say that on the spot. You need your father's approval first above all else, before deeming Yoichi-san as your personal servant."

"Eh… But, Yoichi looks promising enough and I want to help him out."

"I know, even I want to help him out, but I don't think Guren-san would―"

Before Shinoa could finish her sentence, Yuuichirou's phone rang and Yuuichirou excused himself to answer his phone, excitement brimming in his eyes when he saw the name blinking on his screen as he left the hospital room to the corridor. He answered the call with a huge smile.

"Ferid-san…!"

Mikaela nearly choked on his spit upon hearing the name of his uncle coming from a fourteen year old Yuuichirou so casually and he watched with his eyes wide like saucers. "My uncle and Yuu-chan…?"

"Hello there, Yuu. How are you?" Ferid's voice from the other end sounded gentle and welcoming, pretty much how Mikaela remembered it in his past as he looked.

"I'm fine here! I saved someone from being bullied today!"

Ferid chuckled. "Really, your kindness holds no bounds, Yuu. Did Mom and Dad get mad?"

"No… W-Well, Mom did get pissed a bit, but she is okay now. I'm not sure about Dad, though, because Mom is still talking to him on the phone." Yuuichirou pouted, looking dismayed at the prolonging result.

"Oh, don't worry. I'm sure Dad will understand. You saved someone's life, after all."

"… A-And, I-I kind of told him that I want him as my personal servant after I presented!" Yuuichirou told Ferid proudly which made the other pause.

"… Your personal servant? My, my… You need your Dad's approval first before anything. The man has very high standards."

"I know, I know, you don't have to rub it on my face too, Ferid-san…" Yuuichirou poked his tongue out on the phone with a frown as Ferid laughed at him. "By the way… When is your next visit here?"

"Hmm? Why do you ask? Aww, does Yuu miss me already?"

Yuuichirou instantly blushed in embarrassment before he sputtered. "N-No, I don't…! You promised me that you'll teach me how to make those stupidly delicious French and Mediterranean dishes last time when you visited during Christmas!"

Ferid hummed. "I did, didn't I? Was that why you asked me about my return?"

"W-Well, I also want my presents, thank you…!"

"Why, you greedy little―" Before Yuuichirou could comprehend what Ferid was about to say, he was suddenly lifted off the ground and pulled into a bear crushing hug that he recognized as one of the features of a particular alpha. "―punk…!"

Mikaela blinked when he saw Ferid, looking much younger in the memory than he was now. "… Uncle?"

"… Ferid-san?!" Yuuichirou shrieked when he was caught by surprise and Ferid could only giggle at his cute reaction.

"Surprise, Yuu~!"

"You…" Yuuichirou began slowly before giving Ferid a lenient punch on his gut and a squirm. "You nearly gave me a heart attack! Bully!"

Ferid laughed for a bit before he settled Yuuichirou back down. "Well, I thought I would surprise you about my visit so that I could see more of that cute reaction of yours. See?"

To prove his point, Ferid pinched both of Yuuichirou's cheeks and stretched them wide, marveling at how Yuuichirou's face expanded so nicely but Yuuichirou frowned and smacked the hands away.

"It hurts, dammit…" He complained and unknowingly pressed his Russian dictionary at Ferid's chest.

"Huh? What's this, Yuu? Another study material your Dad forced you to read?" Ferid asked as he looked at the rather thick book against his chest.

Yuuichirou blinked in surprise before he shook his head. "It's a Russian dictionary, and no, Dad didn't force me to study this. I decided to study it on my own."

Ferid hummed, impressed. "I wonder who inspired you to do so. The person must be a nice role model…"

"Not really… I don't really find Shindo-san that inspiring enough to be a role model. It's more of… personal interest…"

Yuuichirou could have sworn he heard Ferid's breath hitch before he asked. "… Yuu, can you say that name one more time?"

"What, Shindo-san?" Green eyes peeked over to Ferid who held an unreadable expression yet Yuuichirou could clearly see anger and shock in it. Yuuichirou was almost overwhelmed by it, but it didn't stop his curiosity to ask why Ferid wanted him to say the name again. "Do you know him Ferid-san?"

Ferid blinked before he let out a hollow laugh. "Maybe… There are a lot of people with the same surname, you know. That person is probably not who I assume to be… unless he has blond hair and blue eyes, by any chance?"

"Oh! That's him! Shindo-san has blond hair and blue eyes that he almost looks like Shinya-san. But, obviously, Shinya-san's hair is lighter than Shindo-san's and they have different hairstyles…" Yuuichirou laughed sheepishly.

"… I see…" Ferid glanced away as he secretly gritted his teeth and clenched his fists hard as he whispered. "That bastard is back…"

"Hmm? What's wrong, Ferid-san?"

"Uh, nothing, nothing…" Ferid grinned as he swayed a hand. "Anyway, I'm afraid I have to get going, Yuu. I'm only here since I was requested to watch over the interns in this hospital. I'll be seeing you soon."

Yuuichirou pouted. "Already? It must be tough being a doctor…"

Ferid laughed as he petted Yuuichirou's head. "It is tough, Yuu. But it's very fulfilling in the end. You'll see when you get there." He gave one last smile before waving the raven a goodbye and left, leaving Yuuichirou watching his back in awe, amazement.

But he was immediately stepped out of his stupor when Shinoa opened the door all of a sudden, startling him.

"S-Shinoa?!"

"You've been outside the hall for a very long time, Yuu-san. You're missing out what Yoichi and I were talking about, and for that, you missed some bonding moments." Shinoa announced bluntly as she looked at Yuuichirou's flushed face with no amusement. "And I heard you talking with some guy? Who is that, your sugar daddy? I'm telling Guren-san!"

"He's not my sugar daddy, Shinoa! He is―ngh!"

Before Yuuichirou's protest could be completed, a sharp pain coursed through his lower abdomen that caused him to fall on the hospital floor in front of Shinoa and he curled himself like a ball as his muscles churned tightly and something wet started flowing from him. He groaned in pain while he picked up the sounds of Shinoa asking him in panic and calling for help before he passed out.

When Yuuichirou came to be, he was back in his bedroom, soft blankets and pillows smothered him all around as he slowly sat up and something warm touched his hand. When he looked down beside him, his mother was there sleeping with a chair supporting her.

Feeling sorry for his mother for sleeping in such a poor position, he carefully nudged her awake while whispering. "Mom, please don't sleep like that. It's bad for the body…"

With a quiet hums and a few movements, Sayuri opened her eyes and straightened up with a short yawn. "Oh, Yuu… You're awake."

Yuuichirou studied her expression once Sayuri sat up properly, getting hints of something gloomy radiating from her. "Mom… What happened to me? I was in the hospital, and I…"

"… Yuu, dear," Sayuri inhaled deeply and she held her son's hand in both of her hands as way for reassurance at what she was going to say. "Yuu… You've presented today."

Yuuichirou shot up in disbelief. "I… I presented, already?"

Sayuri nodded. "Yes, in the hospital. Do you remember anything before becoming unconscious?"

"I…" Yuuichirou glanced away, trying to remember what the hell happened to him before mumbling. "I remember… feeling this sudden unbearable in my abdomen like I just ate something terrible a-and something wet flowing inside me…"

Unbearable cramps down there and hot wetness flowing within…

Yuuichirou's eyes widened and he looked at Sayuri like the world was about to end in a second as he put all of the pieces together, adrenaline rushing in his veins. "M-Mom, I can't possibly be… This must be some joke…"

"Things like these aren't a joke, sweetheart." Sayuri said in a dead serious tone. "As much as you don't want to accept it, much less believe in it, there's no mistaking it. Yuu, dear… You're an omega."

Mikaela's brain probably short-circuited at the announcement as he took the information slowly before reacting with his mouth wide open. "Huh?!"

"―Huh?!" Yuuichirou nearly screamed. "B-But, Mom… What about all those training I took?! W-What will Dad say about this?!"

"Dad and I saw everything when Shinoa-chan called us for help. Of course, Dad was a bit angry that you presented as an omega after all of his teachings of making you into an alpha or a beta. But, what's done is done now, Yuu. You were chosen to be an omega and you will grow up to be like one."

"I… I don't want to…" Yuuichirou murmured as tears fell from his face as he held on Sayuri's hand desperately. "I don't want to, Mom…! I don't want to be cooped up in one place where all I'm ever good at is doing housework and making children! I… I want to live! I want to be free!"

"Yuu…" Sayuri whispered before she stood up and hugged her crying son, caressing him gently and emitting her calming scent in the air. "Shh… It's all right. We can always compromise, but of course, there will be limits to your upbringing now that we all know that you're an omega."

Yuuichirou sniffled against his mother as he nodded his head, his trembling never seizing despite the comforting words.

"And also…" The beta added with a smile. "Even if you didn't present as an alpha or beta, you can always be the strongest omega, right? It will take some time, but if you train like you always do, you wouldn't be easily swayed by anyone. You won't submit yourself to just any alpha or beta out there if you have obtained a sharp mind and good physical strength because you'll be the one to choose among them."

Yuuichirou looked up at his mother who kissed his forehead. "You may not know it, but… omegas can be very cunning creatures if they want to be one. Don't forget that, Yuu."

"… Yes, Mom."

Sayuri smiled down at her son before hugging him again in her arms and letting the newly presented omega to calm down.

"Y-Yuu-chan is an omega… W-Wait, he was an omega…" Mikaela concluded as the memory transitioned to black, sounding incredulous as he held his head and gripped a few strands of his hair. "But that's impossible… How can he be an omega there and a beta now?! This doesn't make sense!"

Mikaela sighed in frustration and began to think. Well, now that he thought about it, Yuuichirou did look stunning in so many ways. And he also knew how to maintain the housework well… and cook so many delicious things… Not to mention that his scent is also a bit too sweet for a beta.

Those are… typical things anyone could find in an omega.

And yet, that didn't change the fact that Yuuichirou's status is a beta now.

"… What happened?" He asked himself before the memory resumed playing in a scene where Yuuichirou was in a restroom, dressed so formally.

"I don't understand why I had to attend this stupid party…" Yuuichirou complained as he washed his hands before opening his bottle of suppressants and taking a pill. "Dad wouldn't let me go even if I'm an omega… who is still in heat, by the way."

The raven sighed tiredly as he looked at his appearance one last time before exiting to find his table. But before he could go back to his seat, he saw his Dad and Ferid talking on a balcony. Curious, he hid himself on a curtain nearby and listened attentively to the conversation. What were the two talking about?

"… Guren, I never thought that Shindo-kun would be that person who you struck an alliance with." Ferid said sternly as he eyed the beta beside him. "Was this why you haven't said anything to me these previous months?"

"Knowing you, if I did tell you, you would go batshit crazy again." The Japanese Prime Minister replied back as he swirled his wineglass with red wine. "His name is practically a timed bomb for you."

"Cause it―!" Ferid raised his voice only to stop himself when he realized they were in a fine dining restaurant. "Cause it is, Guren. You know this better than anyone. But that doesn't excuse the fact that you haven't told me."

"What would come out of it if I did tell you, Ferid?" Guren sighed tiredly as he settled his glass on the balcony ridge, giving Ferid a stare. "We've been through this already. How many years passed by and you're still not letting this one go?"

"He defiled my sister, Guren! Don't you know how painful it is as her older brother to see her go through all that alone?!"

When Mikaela heard that, his breath hitched at the implication of his origin just as how Yuuichirou realized at how Ferid sounded vulgar in addressing the Russian Prime Minister.

"I understand, Ferid, but…"

"No, you don't understand, Guren!" Ferid retorted back and he grabbed a fistful of Guren's tuxedo blazer as he looked at the beta dead straight, eyes taking in a red color. "How can you ever understand when you haven't experience the pain yourself!? Don't go telling me fraud sympathies that you know how I feel because you don't!"

"H-Hey, calm down. We have an audience―"

"―Please don't hurt Dad, Ferid-san…!" Yuuichirou cried out as he abandoned his hiding spot to stop them. "I… I don't know what's going on, but… don't point your anger at someone who isn't directly involved."

"Yuu, don't…"

"If you're angry at Shindo-san, address it to him, not my Dad. My Dad did nothing wrong!" Yuuichirou defended as he stood firmly, glaring at Ferid despite the heat emitting within since he had just locked gazes with an alpha and he could already feel his body reacting.

"… Oh, really now?" Ferid replied sarcastically with a mocking grin as he let go of Guren's blazer. "You're very innocent, Yuu. I didn't really want to get any of the younger generation involved in our unresolved mess, but you were caught eavesdropping red handed. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Yuuichirou flustered immediately and he began to fidget. "Uh… I-I was… uhm…"

Ferid sighed, almost like he wasn't angry at all before combing his hair back, stealing a glance from the beta. "… Guren, I'll let you take care of this."

Guren didn't say anything as he gazed away, idly listening to footsteps leaving, hearing Yuuichirou's apology along with Ferid's muttered forgiveness and that murmuring compliment that could clearly define an alpha's desire to mate an omega.

"You smell amazing, Yuu..."

Yuuichirou stopped what he was saying when he heard that from Ferid (of all people) and he was shocked. He was even more mortified when he felt one of his ass cheeks being kneaded briefly and he had to slap a hand over to his mouth to stop a weird sound coming from behind his throat.

He turned his head a bit to give Ferid a half-hearted glare before Guren called for Yuuichirou.

"I didn't raise you to be an eavesdropper, Yuu. That's very rude and unbecoming." The Prime Minister scolded lightly to his son who leaned on the balcony ridges with his arms crossed.

"I know… I'm sorry, Dad."

Guren huffed. "I'll see to your punishment after your heat subsided."

"I understand…"

"And another thing…"

"Hmm?"

"I think it's best that… you stay away from Ferid from now on."

Yuuichirou's eyes widened and he looked at his father in surprise. "W-Why? He didn't do anything bad to me…"

"That's your omega instincts talking, Yuu. They're telling you that Ferid is a potential mate for you, is it not?"

Yuuichirou could feel his cheeks becoming hot in embarrassment and he shook his head. "What?! Impossible! Why would I―"

"Your scent and body language is very obvious, Yuu. And with Ferid being one of the unbounded alphas that you socialize with on a daily basis, it is not surprising how your omega instincts are reacting so strongly."

"D-Dad, that's because I'm in heat…"

"Even so," Guren raised his voice a bit. "In heat or not, you're not going to go near him ever again. I feel like he'll do something horrible to you."

Yuuichirou was surprised by the demand but he didn't dare to talk back; especially when Guren was this serious. Still, he was able to say something in a hush whisper as he glanced away with a small pout. "But he's your friend."

Guren sighed softly as he stirred his wineglass, staring at the red liquid that reminded him so much of someone else's eyes before he frowned. "… Not anymore."

And he downed his drink without a second thought.

"… Yuu, you should probably go back to Mom. She must be worried that you're taking too long to come back." Guren suggested after a moment of silence with his son.

"What about you, Dad?"

Guren hummed in thought. "I'm going to stay here for a bit. I need some time alone."

Yuuichirou stared at his father for a while before he nodded, understanding his need for space. "… Okay."

The omega was about to leave when someone suddenly took a hold of his wrist and yanked him away from the balcony. The action had Yuuichirou jumping and the first thing that he thought of was to scream for help, but it was smothered by a cloth that made him dizzy and unconscious in mere seconds.

"Yuu-chan!" Mikaela instinctually called out in panic and reached out, forgetting that he was watching a memory for a second there before the scene changed again.

Yuuichirou groaned as his eyes fluttered open, light catching his vision as he adjusted to his surroundings. He could tell that he was in a dimly lit bedroom, a high class one at that with all the expensive furniture around.

"Where…?" He sat up and moved his body… only to hear the sound of clinking metal and to realize that his hands and feet were chained, rendering them immobile.

He began to panic.

"W-Where?! Mom?! Dad?! Anybody?!" Yuuichirou cried out desperately into the darkness in hopes that somebody might hear him, but instead he was greeted with a soft chuckle that sounded sinister.

"I see that you gained consciousness, Yuu."

The familiar voice made Yuuichirou turn his head sharply to the source and his eyes widened when he realized who was speaking, relief flooding through his senses. "I-Is that you, Ferid-san…?"

"Correct."

A lamp was opened in a space of the dark room to reveal the silver haired alpha sitting on a chair, wearing a bathrobe and black slacks as he stared at Yuuichirou. He crossed his arms on his chest while the omega shifted to a more comfortable position on the bed despite the chains restricting his movements.

"Thank goodness, Ferid-san. For a second there, I thought I was kidnapped."

"You are kidnapped, Yuu."

Yuuichirou blinked at the straightforward reply and he looked at Ferid incredulously. "W-What are you talking about? You're here, Ferid-san. There's no way I could be kidnapped."

"… That's because I was the one who kidnapped you."

The omega stopped breathing for a while as he let the information sink in, and he tensed up. "… What?"

"You heard me, Yuu. I kidnapped you. I did that to you."

"B-But why? I don't see any reason why I should be kidnapped by you of all people. I mean, I'm not someone of importance."

"You are." Ferid corrected as he stood from his chair and approached the now vigilant omega. "Besides the fact that you are part of the rarest statuses in society, you are also the Prime Minister's son… Guren's son, which in turn, makes you are an important pawn to my payback."

Yuuichirou could feel cold sweat on his skin as he instinctually moved away from Ferid despite his heat, not liking where the conversation was heading as fear rushed through his system. "A pawn to your payback? What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I meant, Yuu." The alpha confirmed as he sat down on the bed, making Yuuichirou flinch. "Through you, I could make Guren feel the pain of the mistake that he did in the past. I want to give him a taste of his own medicine, and what better way to do that than to strip you off of your innocence... your dignity…"

An appalling smile curved on Ferid's lips as he crawled after Yuuichirou on the bed, and in return, Yuuichirou moved backwards until his back hit the headboard of the bed, limiting his way out. The omega squeaked like a frightened mouse when Ferid was still approaching him and he raised his chained hands defensively, an impulsive attempt to tell the alpha to keep his distance.

"Y-You wouldn't dare…! Please, Ferid-san, there has to be another way!"

"There's no other way." Ferid then yanked on chain link of Yuuichirou's chained hands, forcing the omega to lean forward with his face mere inches from the other. "As I said, my dear Yuu, I want to see your father suffer the same pain I felt for years, and I'm going to use you to achieve that very goal. And what a convenience it is for me that you presented as an omega. You must be wondering what it feels like to be claimed by an alpha for quite some time, haven't you? Well, don't you worry, I'll let you experience everything thoroughly."

Horrified green eyes stared at maroon ones as Ferid licked his lips suggestively before he took a handful of Yuuichirou's hair to forcefully push him down so that the omega's face was hovering over his crotch. Yuuichirou yelped at the pain and gasped when he came face to face with Ferid's erection that was standing tall and pulsing before him. The arousing smell of an alpha in rut hit Yuuichirou full force from there and Yuuichirou shivered when he felt his body hit up as slick dribbled down from his hole in response, his omega instincts telling him to cave in and please this alpha to the best of his abilities.

But Yuuichirou didn't give in out of fright and anger at what would happen if he did, and he was left unmoving before Ferid as his body trembled from the pressure and his breaths were left labored.

Ferid raised a brow impressively at how strong Yuuichirou was if he managed to suppress his instincts like that. Omegas were meant to yield on their instincts to do anything that would please any alphas with no questions asked for the sake of becoming bred, provided that said alphas court them properly. But, of course, there were also omegas who would give anything just to satisfy alphas and get a good fuck in return.

Having Yuuichirou hover over his erection without obediently opening his mouth meant that Ferid would have to resort to aphrodisiacs in order to bend the omega to his will and to ruin him with no hindrance.

He would just have to make an exception for now.

"Suck." Ferid commanded, using his authority as an alpha. "Open your mouth and suck, omega."

"… No." Yuuichirou defied with a shake of his head as he strained to glare up at Ferid with fierce eyes. "I won't allow you to do what you want with me just because you're a fucking alpha. You would have to kill me first."

"Oh, are you challenging me, even if you know full well where you stand? How remarkable, however…" Ferid then placed both of his hands on Yuuichirou's face, cold hands caressing warmth as he guided the omega down again. "It looks like I have to use force on you."

"Wha―mmph?!"

Yuuichirou's eyes widened as Ferid's thick girth was practically shoved into his mouth. He made muffled panic noises and even moved his head from side to side to stop this but Ferid kept him still, slipping his cock inside until he felt like he hit the back of Yuuichirou's throat which painfully gagged him.

"Wow, your mouth is amazing…" Ferid groaned out as he held Yuuichirou in place. "Who knew that someone of your status had lips like that of a whore?"

Yuuichirou could only whimper helplessly as tears cornered from his eyes and fell from his face, too distressed and furious at this moment as he forced himself to relax his throat to accompany the alpha's cock, his tongue unconsciously pressing against the flesh to taste it, to feel it.

His spontaneous reaction earned him a disgusting chuckle from Ferid.

"… Now, remember its texture and flavor, dear Yuu… because that will be all you're ever going to taste."

Yuuichirou growled through his throat and scraped his teeth on the sensitive flesh, causing Ferid to hiss. "Ah, ah, dear Yuu. Do that and I'll have to cane you. You have to be obedient and do what I say."

"Over my dead body." Yuuichirou said though it was muffled because of the obstruction in his mouth, but either way, he was firm as he continued to glare at Ferid.

"We'll see… We'll see…" Was Ferid's words before he pulled out only to push back inside Yuuichirou's wet heat, fucking the omega's mouth hard and fast, his pace unrelenting.

More tears and muffled noises escaped from Yuuichirou as he fought to catch his breath from the ride, his lungs burning from the little amount of air that forced him to hollow his cheeks and to suck on Ferid's cock. In return, his actions were somewhat pleasing the alpha; he could smell it in his scent.

"Mmm… That's right. Just like that. Suck it harder." Ferid encouraged as he drove deeper inside, nearly choking Yuuichirou with spit and cock, never letting the omega rest. "This is what you were meant to do, Yuu… what you were meant to be—a whore whose only purpose was to pleasure both alphas and betas alike. Freedom was never an option for you."

Yuuichirou was about to protest about that when he felt Ferid's cock, if possible, hardening and twitching in his mouth followed by a copious amount of hot, bitter fluid pouring down his throat as Ferid shuddered from his orgasm. Yuuichirou patted urgently on the alpha's hips to get rid of the cock so that he could breath properly, but instead, Ferid shoved it in even deeper followed by the forming of his knot which shocked the omega.

"Now, now…" Ferid cooed, hand caressing black locks as he looked down at Yuuichirou's submissive pose. "If you are going to spend how many days with me before your parents find you, you're going to have to get used to having a knot in your mouth for your benefit. That is what you were meant to do, after all, my omega."

Yuuichirou could only quiver in dread at his resigned fate as he inevitably swallowed Ferid's essence in his mouth which left a filthy aftertaste in his tongue.

Mikaela covered his mouth at what he saw, horror evident in his features at the scene that unfolded before him as he sunk onto his knees. "… Yuu-chan was telling the truth the entire time, and I was ignorant to accept it. I'm such an idiot."

As he was berating himself, another scene was shown and Mikaela was reluctant to watch when he noticed that it was the same bedroom where Yuuichirou was forced to give his uncle a blowjob. But if the scene was part of Yuuichirou's memories, then maybe Yuuichirou wanted him to see it.

Yuuichirou was gasping heavily on the floor, his body littered with dried semen, bite marks, and blood as he stared dully at the white ceiling with tears in his eyes.

The Yuuichirou before Mikaela caught his heart and he reached out to check if he was alright even if that Yuuichirou wasn't real. "Yuu-chan…"

"Oh, Yuu, dear~"

Yuuichirou visibly flinched at the nickname, but he was too drained to move his body so he just stayed there until Ferid's figure came to view and he scowled at him. "What… do you… want… asshole?" His voice was winded and cracked from overuse.

"I have good news for you~!"

"… What?"

"It seems that your father has figured out where you are."

Yuuichirou's eyes widened with hope and he sat up despite the sharp pain shooting on his lower back. "W-When? How?"

"Never underestimate the power of an overprotective father." Ferid said with a shrug before he looked down on Yuuichirou with a smug smile. "However, he took a long while to find you. It's been two long months…"

"Two months?!" Mikaela repeated shockingly.

"It may have… took a while… but it was worth the wait…" Yuuichirou said as he struggled to get the blanket of the bed to cover himself, hiding the evidence of the kind of activities he was engaged in for those horrible days. "I won't have to be… your damn pawn anymore…"

Ferid chuckled at the tough façade and grinned menacingly at the omega. "We'll see, Yuu dear. We'll see."

Yuuichirou gritted his teeth when the door suddenly burst open to reveal Guren and Sayuri, along with numerous policemen with panting faces.

"Yuu…!"

"Oh my goodness…" Sayuri rushed to her son, gently touching his face as tears fell from her eyes upon seeing his bruised face. "You're safe, thank the heavens… I don't know what I'll do if I had lost you."

"Mom…"

"Sentimental as always, Sayuri?" Ferid mocked as he watched the scene.

"You―! Shut up!" Guren screamed at Ferid as he grabbed him by his shirt collar. "Why did you this, Ferid, huh?! Why the fuck did you do this?!"

Ferid could only smile in amusement at the temper Guren was showing. "You know why, Guren-coo. The answer is just right there."

"Fuck you." The Prime Minister hissed before he gestured to the policemen present. "Arrest him."

"Ah, Guren is so mean~" Ferid pouted as his hands were chained together as Guren moved to check with his wife and son.

"Yuu, are you alright?" Guren asked softly as he went beside Sayuri's side. "From what we heard, you…"

"I'm fine, just…"

Tears prickled Yuuichirou's eyes at the memories that had happened to him and he covered his eyes with both of his hands as he knelt down and cried loudly, painfully. He didn't care if he was doing this in front of his parents or strangers. He just cried without holding back, his form shrinking before them as he let out his agony.

"Shh, sweetheart, it's okay now. We're here for you. Shh…" Sayuri reassured her son as she knelt down and hugged him, rubbing soothing circles on his back and emitting her sweet, motherly scent. "It's okay now…"

Guren could only watch Sayuri calm their son down when he saw the junction of Yuuichirou's neck with a grotesque bite mark where his scent glands were, and his eyes widen in realization at the meaning behind it.

"YOU FUCK―!" Guren screamed loudly that it made most the people present flinch as he once again grabbed Ferid by the collar, his eyes colored red in absolute fury. "HOW DARE YOU MARK MY SON AGAINST HIS CONSENT?! I'LL KILL YOU!"

Ferid could only snort at the threat before he stomped on the foot of the policeman handling him and grabbed his gun from the utility bet, aiming it at Guren's chest where his heart was. "Not until I kill you first Guren-coo~"

Guren barely had time to put some distance between them when Ferid's finger was halfway pulling the trigger, but he knew that he was pushed aside on the last second before a very loud gunshot was heard. He coughed when he landed on the floor abruptly and he turned his head quickly at the person who protected him, only for his breathing to stop momentarily.

There, Sayuri stood before Ferid who stared at her with wide eyes. Her pastel colored sundress that she wore as a charm for good luck was now painted with red as she held her bleeding chest, her breaths turning hacked and shallow before she fell on the ground with blood pooling around.

"Mom…!" Yuuichirou cried out as he rushed by her side in panic.

"Sayuri…"

"I… Sayuri, I didn't mean to…" Ferid's voice shook upon realizing that he just shot someone innocent, someone who wasn't involved in his payback as he backed away and used the moment of distraction to run away from the police.

"Sir, the suspect is getting away." One of the policemen reported hastily by Guren's side while the others rushed out to capture Ferid. "Should we pursue?"

"… Let him be." Guren answered back, eyes down casted. "We'll get him when the time is right. Right now, we have other matters that need to be attended to…"

They both looked over to Yuuichirou who was crying and leaning on his mother's body, blood painting his hands and cheeks as he mourned and the policeman immediately understood from there.

"I understand, Sir. I'll tell the others right away and I'll call the hospital while I'm at it."

Guren grunted his approval and let the policeman leave, rendering the Ichinose family alone in the room before he crawled over to his wife. "Hey, baby…"

"Guren…" Sayuri weakly called out with a smile. "I'm glad you're safe… both of you…"

"Why did you protect me, Sayuri? You shouldn't have…"

"It's because I love you, Guren." She answered honestly. "And through that love, I protected you on my own free will… on my own life…"

"… I don't deserve this from you, Sayuri. You could've had better things than this..."

Sayuri laughed weakly at that as she reached out a bloodied hand to caress Guren's cheek while the other hand was petting Yuuichirou who was sobbing uncontrollably on her chest. "Perhaps… Since I know that no matter what I do, I couldn't beat Mahiru-chan when it comes to winning you over. I also know that I'm not your first or your best choice as a mate… But even so, you still chose me from the rest, and I never felt so much happiness in my life…"

The beta closed her eyes as tears rolled down, yet she still held a smile on her face. "Thank you for everything, Guren… Thank you for making my life a dream come true…"

"Love…" Guren whispered before he leaned on Sayuri and kissed her, her lips was smooth and slightly cold against his as his own tears fell from his eyes and onto her face. The kiss didn't last for long as Guren pulled back slightly, his breaths shaky as he looked down on his wife.

"… Take care of Yuu, Guren. Support him when he needs it, comfort him when he feels sad, and most of all… watch over him as he grows into adulthood. Empower him to be strong, to be kind, to love… Guide him all throughout."

Guren reached up to her hand and squeezed it for comfort as he nodded his head. "I promise, Sayuri…"

"I'm… glad…"

Sayuri's eyes became dull from life and her hand slipped from Guren's face to fall on the ground with a soft thud. Guren and Yuuichirou looked at Sayuri's lifeless body with shock in their eyes. While Guren was rendered speechless, Yuuichirou was screaming.

"Mom! Oh my god, Mom! No, please, don't leave us! Mom!"

Yuuichirou choked on gasps and sobs as he continued to grieve at the death of his mother, but he winced when he felt excruciating heat in the bottom of his belly that caused him to curl his body like he was about to vomit. Guren noticed this and he immediately went to his son's side, holding his quaking shoulders as he examined him.

"Yuu, what's wrong? Are you hurt?"

"It's hot, Dad… I can't… It hurts…"

Guren raised a brow in confusion only for his senses to take note of the rather strong, sweet pheromones Yuuichirou was emitting. He realized that his son was going into heat and a powerful one too.

"Crap, not now…"

Just as he was about to carry Yuuichirou out of the room, a group of men from the hospital nearby came in and took care of the situation, carrying Yuuichirou and Sayuri into the truck and to the hospital.

Mikaela didn't say anything as the scene came in, revealing Guren sitting in the waiting area of the intensive care unit with his hands covering his eyes. The sight of the man was too pitiful to look at.

"Guren-senpai…" A doctor with brunette hair came in with a clipboard at hand as he stood in front of the Prime Minister. "We have checked your son, and there seems to be a problem…"

"Tell me something I don't know, Makoto…"

"M-Makoto-sensei?!" Mikaela gaped when he recognized a younger version of Makoto in the memory.

"So, what is this problem you picked up?" Guren bluntly asked as he stood up.

"From what we found, it involved mostly into your son's hormones. A custom made sedative has been discovered when we extracted a blood sample from him that functions both as an aphrodisiac and a contraceptive for birth control."

"This is Ferid's work, no doubt about that…" The beta gritted his teeth in anger. "Anything else?"

"Er, uhm… Due to the heavy dosages of such drug, we have observed that your son goes into heat almost every day now which is highly abnormal for any omega since there should be a time period enough for a mature ovum to develop in a cycle. Not to mention that his pheromones had become more potent as well…" Makoto snaked a hand at the back of his head to scratch it nervously. "So, to make things short, Yuuichirou has turned into something like a queen bee where, with the exception of commanding others, his purpose is to mate with alphas and to reproduce…"

The silence was thick when Guren took in the information before he slammed his hand on a wall. "Damn you, Ferid…" He hissed under his breath before he turned to Makoto. "Is there a way to stabilize his hormones?"

"Ah, w-well… There is, but it involves a lot specially made dextrose to be inserted in him and extraction as well if we are to be on par with the dosages he took."

"Do it."

"Senpai?"

"Do it, Makoto."

Makoto looked at Guren in shock. "Guren-senpai, you can't. This is dangerous, and highly against our protocol in the hospital. You would change the status that he had grown used to."

"I don't care!" Guren screamed at his face. "My son isn't some kind of prostitute where anyone could fuck and disrespect him as they please! He deserves more than that kind of lifestyle!"

"I understand what you're going through since this is your son, but we have rules to follow in our medical laws. Going against them just to do something like this could lose my license as a doctor…"

"I'll pay for it." The Prime Minister offered. "And I'll even let you work on this in secret. You have my word."

"Guren-senpai…"

"Please, Makoto. Do it for my son. He means the whole world to me and I don't want to imprison him from his freedom."

Makoto glanced away with a frown as he was silent for a while, contemplating on the options before he nodded his head. "Alright, but… Can I bring Shusaku with me? He has been my moral support whenever I doubt myself. I don't think I could do this alone."

"… Okay, but promise me that you won't tell anyone after his hormones were stabilized."

"Okay."

The scene faded and everything went back to Yuuichirou's apartment room with Mikaela standing in a daze as the charm lay pliant under his hold. He looked back down on the charm, hands shaky as he touched the dried markings on the paper as he suddenly felt guilty for being angry at Yuuichirou last night when he was right all along.

"I'm sorry, Yuu-chan…" Mikaela whispered on the paper longingly, wishing that Yuuichirou heard it even if he knew that it was impossible with how far they were right now.

But he was startled when the doorbell rang, and he wondered if it was the room service.

Talk about bad timing…

Mikaela sighed tiredly before he placed the charm down on a table, so that he could answer the door. "Coming, coming…!" He called out when he took hold of the door knob and gave a twist. "I'm sorry but can you come at another time? I just―"

"Oh, I don't think I could wait another time, my dear nephew."

Upon hearing how the other person addressed him, Mikaela looked up to find Ferid on his doorway, looking down at him with a rather eerie smile. And just by looking like him, Mikaela could feel his blood boil and his shoulders tense when he remembered what his uncle had done to Yuuichirou; but he was good in hiding what he was feeling and he returned Ferid's smile with his own, masking his intent of calling the police on him.

"Uncle! What a pleasant surprise!"

* * *

Merry Christmas!


	20. Scars Reopened

**Chapter 20: Scars Reopened**

Mikaela placed a cup of warm, green tea on the coffee table before Ferid who took it gratefully and sipped for a bit. For the last ten minutes, Mikaela had been restraining himself to beat the crap out of the man, but upon realizing just how cunning his uncle could be based on Yuuichirou's memories, Mikaela would be put at a disadvantage if he were to act on impulse. He had to be patient.

"What a beautiful room you have here. I heard from your mother that something horrible has happened to the mansion and that you have to transfer." Ferid said after a while, placing the cup of the half-filled tea on the table.

"Ah, you've heard right, Uncle." The blonde agreed as he settled at the seat across Ferid's in the living room, cautiously keeping his distance from him. "I'm really lucky that a kind soul took me in."

"And would you mind telling me who this kind soul is, hmm?"

"I'm sure you met him already during mom's fashion show. His name is Yuuichirou Amane."

"Yuuichirou Amane, huh?" Ferid's lips curved into a lopsided smile of amusement as he shifted his sitting position. "… You do know that isn't his real name, right, Mika-kun?"

Mikaela almost flinched at the question, but he was lucky enough that he didn't give anything away and decided to play dumb. "What do you mean, uncle? That's the name he introduced himself to me."

"Hide all you want, dear nephew, but it won't work." Ferid crossed his arms on his chest as his eyes looked at Mikaela directly. "If I remembered correctly, you called him 'Ichinose-san', not 'Amane-san' at the time where he was untying you on the chair when your mansion was attacked by two of my henchmen. And I must say… That was quite the display that you two had demonstrated."

Blue eyes widened when Ferid mentioned that and realization dawn on him instantly, making Mikaela stand up from his seat. "… That was you? You sent your people there to attack me just so you could lure Yuu-chan?! You were using me?!"

Ferid's smile grew as if he was expecting the reaction. "Correct." He pointed a finger on Mikaela calmly. "You see… I figured that dear Yuu didn't have it in him to leave someone as friendly and forgiving as you after he unintentionally dragged you into this personal matter. He felt like it's his responsibility to keep you safe and unharmed, but in doing so, he developed an attachment for you."

Ferid chuckled when Mikaela was silent the entire time, confirming the truth as he too stood up from his seat. "How deep this attachment is… It's something I would have to figure out myself. And if it runs as deep as I assumed it to be, then I have no doubts that my beautiful black widow will come running back just to make sure you're okay."

Mikaela furrowed his brows, his instincts on high alert as he made a stance. "You wouldn't. I won't let you."

"Oh?" Ferid hummed in amusement as he moved, eyeing Mikaela in a challenging look. "Try me."

Gritting his teeth as a low growl emitted lowly in his throat, Mikaela quickly grabbed the cup of green tea from the table and threw it at Ferid, aiming right at his face. Ferid chuckled as he moved to the side, dodging the fragile object easily that made a distinct smashing sound in the background.

"Is that the best that you could do―"

Mikaela dashed through with a raised fist and decked Ferid hard on the face, causing the alpha to make choked sound as he was sent a few meters back. Mikaela was panting after he landed his first hit, his mind idly making strategies on his next move while one of his hands reached for his phone at the back of his pants to dial the police with Ferid still recovering.

But, he wasn't given much time to completely dial the number when Ferid surprised him with a shard of the broken cup in his hand, slicing Mikaela's cheek with great speed and accuracy that had the blonde wincing as blood sluiced down from it. And to make it worst, Ferid even punched the wounded area to increase the pain input, which worked because Mikaela yelped and his phone dropped from his hand from the stinging sensation.

"You…!"

Mikaela wiped the blood coming out at the side of his mouth from the impact he received and he readied himself to land another punch until Ferid suddenly kicked him on the side of his stomach, forcing spittle out of his mouth as he was thrown against a wall. The resilient blow bloomed aches on his stomach and back that rendered Mikaela powerless as his body laid him pliant on the floor, breathing heavily while Ferid hovered over him with a smirk.

"That wasn't much of a fight there, Mika-kun. I'm very disappointed. Where's your strength as an alpha?" Ferid commented as he swiped his thumb on the side of his mouth where it was bleeding from Mikaela's punch earlier. "No matter, this makes everything easy…"

Ferid then showed Mikaela's phone out to him in glee, indicating who he was going to call with it now that it was in his possession as a familiar number flashed on the screen and blue eyes widened. "Don't you dare…!"

A sinister chuckle followed after his threat. "Oh, I dare. He was my omega, after all. Ah… But I guess you already know that."

Mikaela pressed his teeth harder as he struggled to move, but the movements only add up to the pain throbbing all over his body that couldn't let him even stop Ferid as button was clicked to send out a call.

* * *

Yuuichirou felt uneasy as he stood in front of the airport with his luggage beside him. He didn't know if it was because he was going to meet his father again or because he was worried for Mikaela. He just felt uneasy, like something was amiss.

 _It must be the nerves…_

He inhaled some air deeply, calming himself down before he felt a sudden pulse from his wrist followed by a faint sense of dread. Yuuichirou looked down in confusion and realized that the mark Mikaela left on him was the one sending those things into him, vaguely telling him what the alpha was feeling. And it made Yuuichirou all the more aware that it wasn't the unhappy kind of pain coursing through his veins, but rather of panic and danger that it drove Yuuichirou in a state of alarm as he thought of one thing.

 _Mika… He is in danger!_

His senses immediately told him that with adrenaline beginning to rush in him and he quickly turned around so that he could run back to the apartment when someone grabbed his arm.

"Yuu,"

Yuuichirou looked back to see Guren looking at him in surprise as he held his arm to let him stay in place, a mix of bewilderment and astonishment in his eyes. "D-Dad…"

"Where do you think you're going, young man? I didn't take you to forget something."

"N-No, I didn't forget anything. It's just…" The mark on his wrist throbbed again, this time, the pain was even sharper than before like someone just knocked his head out and Yuuichirou grunted in pain, holding his wrist as he focused on calming his breathing down. "I… Someone… A-A friend! He's in danger! I have to go back, Dad! Please!"

Guren raised a brow at that, confused at what his son was saying. "How on earth can you sense this friend of yours, unless…" His violet eyes widened in realization and he frowned on Yuuichirou who was becoming restless the more he stood around doing nothing. "Yuu, are you―"

"―Dad, I can't explain now! This is urgent! I have to―"

Before Yuuichirou could explain himself, his phone rang in his pocket that he quickly took out in record time and answered it upon seeing Mikaela's name on the screen. "Hello, Mika?! I felt that something happened to you! Are you okay?!"

A chuckle was heard at the other line, and the familiar sound of it sent paled Yuuichirou. "Hello, Yuu~ It's been a while~"

"You…!" Yuuichirou screamed as he furrowed his brows and his iris immediately colored red in anger. "How the hell did you get this?! What have you done to Mika, you bastard?! Where is he?!"

"Oh, Mika-kun~" Ferid sing songed. "Yuu dear is on the phone. Why don't you say 'Hi'?"

A few shuffling noises were heard followed by heaving breathing as Yuuichirou picked up Mikaela's voice, anxiousness following through his veins as he heard him say, "Run… Yuu-chan…"

Yuuichirou's heart sank at how winded Mikaela sounded as Ferid clicked his tongue in disappointment.

"Ah, ah, ah, that isn't how you greet someone, Mika-kun. Try again." Ferid scolded lightly in a playful tone as he neared the phone next to Mikaela, making the other's voice louder. "And make sure he hears it."

Mikaela inhaled deeply before raising his voice. "Run, Yuu-chan! Get away from here now!"

Ferid clicked his tongue again. "Such an annoyance."

A loud smack and a pained grunt were heard, making Yuuichirou flinch as he listened to it repeat again and again; the sound of the alpha's suffering tightening Yuuichirou's chest in each blow that could be heard. Only when Mikaela actually yell did Yuuichirou screamed on the phone, "Stop!"

"… Hm? What's wrong?" Ferid asked as Mikaela coughed in the background. "I was just punishing my nephew for being so rude to you, my darling."

"Leave Mika out of this! He doesn't deserve any of those, you ass!"

Ferid made an amused whistle on the other end, sending unpleasant shivers in Yuuichirou's spine. "My, my, Yuuichirou, dear… I didn't know that just hearing my nephew in pain could strike a nerve. You must really like him."

"Shut up…" Yuuichirou growled.

"Hmhm… I'll tell you what, my dear. Come to the hotel and the hotel room that I'll be texting you after this and let's settle everything there once and for all. If you promise me that you'll go, I'll keep Mika-kun safe and unharmed. But, if you don't…Then, by all means, I won't hesitate to kill him with my own hands." A toothy grin formed on Ferid's lips as he leered down on Mikaela who was glaring at him. "Oh, and you're free to bring any weapons if you like. So, what do you say? Do we have a deal, Yuuichirou Ichinose?"

Yuuichirou was silent on the line as his mind contemplated on the pros and cons of his decision, deafening everything around him as he gripped his phone. He wouldn't deny that he had longed to get his revenge on Ferid and burn the very past that haunted him. He could go over and settle things; do justice to his mother's death and make the man pay for what he did, but at the same time, Mikaela had become heavily involved in this. The life of the alpha depended on him, and Yuuichirou would damn himself if Mikaela ended up dying because of him. He couldn't let the very person he love die.

"… I'll go." Yuuichirou murmured after some thinking. "Let's settle everything. I've grown tired of hiding from you."

"The feeling is mutual, my dear." Ferid purred. "Come to the place at around sunset. I'll be waiting… along with Mika-kun, of course."

The call ended with a beep and Yuuichirou lowered his hand in silence before Guren, who saw the entire conversation, coughed in the background and caused Yuuichirou to turn his head towards him.

"Yuuichirou, you have some explaining to do after what I just heard." The Prime Minister said as he crossed his arms on his chest, his brows furrowed in a displeased look.

"Yes, I know…" Yuuichirou said with a nod. "But, there's a place I have to go back to first."

* * *

The first thing that Yuuichirou knew something was wrong was because the door to the apartment room he and Mikaela shared was slightly open. He rushed into the room and was shocked to find how much of a mess the living room was; like the place was hit by a hurricane. He immediately picked up the scent of two alphas; no doubt they were Ferid and Mikaela. And by the looks of it, the two alphas had engaged in a fight, hence, the mess that was left as evidence in its wake.

"Jesus, what happened here?" Guren asked once he saw the room and his nose scrunched up with the scent of alphas everywhere. "Ugh, and it stinks too."

"Dad…" Yuuichirou mildly scolded as he took a plastic bag from the kitchen and carefully removed the broken pieces of a cup on the floor where anyone careless enough could step on. He was offended that his Dad would dare to say Mikaela smelled bad when the alpha was far from it. "Mika doesn't stink… He smells nice."

Guren became silent for a moment after he heard that while he watched Yuuichirou discard the shards. When his son came back, Guren had settled on a couch and waited patiently, eyes looking at him expectantly to explain. Yuuichirou shifted uncomfortably from where he was before he opened his mouth.

"Well, first off… I'm marked."

"I think that is clearly obvious, Yuu. But what I'm after is why did you allow yourself to be marked, and by an alpha, no less?"

"I wanted him to."

"… You wanted him to?" Guren repeated with a brow raised this time, scrutinizing. "Who is he?"

Yuuichirou then chewed on his bottom lip as the possible thought of an angry Guren came to mind. But then, did Guren even know that Mikaela was related to Ferid? He didn't know, but regardless if Guren knew or not, Yuuichirou had to come out honest.

"He's… Mika―no, Mikaela Tepes…"

Yuuichirou didn't miss the wide eyed look Guren gave him, and the feeling of familiarity that radiate as soon as he uttered Mikaela's name. "You… and him?" Guren muttered in disbelief before he laughed. "… I can't believe it. Out of all people..."

"You…" Yuuichirou paused. "You knew him?"

"Of course I knew him. He's Shindo and Krul's child… Well, illegitimate child or lovechild whatever you want to call him. Not to mention that he is also Ferid's nephew…" Guren sighed, though the crooked smile on his face was of worry. "And you allowed him to mark you?"

A blush bloomed on Yuuichirou's cheeks as he glanced away. "It was a parting gift since I'm leaving and I… I want a form of remembrance from him, and he requested to mark me so…"

"Yuu,"

At the sound of his name being said so firmly, Yuuichirou closed his mouth and faced his Dad as the older beta continued.

"To let yourself fall into such degree even after what happened to you in the past with a certain alpha… You must really love him, this Mika..."

"I…" Yuuichirou trailed off as he clenched his hands into closed fists. "Yes, I love him… with all my heart."

"Even if he is an alpha?"

"Yes."

"Even if he is related to Ferid by blood?"

"Yes."

"Even if he is the product of a mistake?"

"I don't care if he is." Yuuichirou said confidently, eyebrows furrowed in determination at all these questions thrown at him as he defended Mikaela. "No matter how many ugly truths the past had hid away from us, there is nothing that could ever stop me from loving Mika. He proved to me how much of an affectionate and a reliable person he is for a whole solid month, Dad, and I can guarantee that he isn't anything like his bastard uncle."

"Is that so…" Guren hummed, interested. "Well, if you put it that way… I guess I have to see for myself how worthy he is if he is to ask for your hand in marriage."

The word 'marriage' triggered a heavy blush to form on Yuuichirou's cheeks and he looked over to him in embarrassment. "… D-Dad, what do you mean by that?! And, holy shit, hand in marriage?!"

"You are of age, Yuu. And when the time will come for you to take my place as Prime Minister, you need to have a suitable mate and spouse by your side." Guren explained before he stood up from his seat on the couch to approach Yuuichirou and patted his head. "If what you said about Mikaela is true, then I have nothing to worry about… because I know that there will be no other person fit to take care of my son as well as him."

"Dad…"

Guren smiled warmly at him before it turned upside down as he lowered his hand. "Though I still have to see if he is worthy of my trust. I won't let my guard down just because you practically talked and fawned over him like a boyfriend."

Yuuichirou sputtered. "What?! He's not my―ugh, Dad!"

Guren laughed at how extremely red his son's face was as he pouted, glaring at Guren even when the older beta stopped. "I'm sorry, Yuu, you're just… Ahem, anyway, with that put aside for the time being, shouldn't we head out now? Time is ticking."

Yuuichirou stared before he nodded in understanding. "Right… But first, we need a plan."

"Shoot, I'm all ears."

Yuuichirou hummed in acknowledgement for the support as Guren handed him a very long suitcase that encased his most prized weapon, vowing a promise as he undid the buttons to open it to reveal a sword that glimmered proudly against the light and reflected his face.

 _Wait for me, Mika. I'm going to save you._


	21. Revelations and Rescue

**Chapter 21: Revelations and Rescue**

Mikaela groaned as he blinked his eyes open, his vision was blurry as he glanced around to a room he didn't know.

Where…?

"Oh, you're awake. I almost thought you were dead."

Recognizing Ferid's voice, Mikaela narrowed his eyes and immediately moved from his spot only to feel something holding him down. His eyes lowered to find ropes binding him to a chair in an unfriendly fashion enough to leave bruises on his skin despite the clothing. Mikaela gritted his teeth at the painful immobilization.

"My, frustrated that you can't move, dear nephew?"

"… Isn't it obvious enough?" Mikaela snarled as he glared up at Ferid. "This is completely unnecessary."

"Hmm, perhaps…" Ferid hummed. "But if I'm to successfully bring my ex-omega back to my arms without you trying to kill me, then by all means, the restrain is completely necessary."

Mikaela scoffed. "Do you really think Yuu-chan would willingly go back to you after what you've done? He isn't weak to fall for it."

"Indeed. My beautiful black widow has grown so much since I last saw him. He became strong and wise for someone of his age." The silver haired alpha agreed with a nod. "But, even so… Like any other person, he has a weakness―" Ferid chuckled as he pointed a finger on Mikaela. "―and he found it in you, Mika-kun."

The young alpha blinked. "… Me?"

I'm Yuu-chan's weakness?

"Impossible." Mikaela denied the thought, trying to be convincing. "I just saved him and kept him company. I'm nothing more than that to him."

"Lie all you want, Mika-kun, but in the end, it's pretty obvious that the two of you fell for each other. After all…" Ferid then grabbed Mikaela's chin harshly, forcing Mikaela to face his uncle in the face where he met maroon eyes leering down on him as Ferid continued, "His scent on you is more than enough evidence on what kind of relationship you have with him. Not to mention his letter… It's so emotional; I could cry from it."

Mikaela tensed up when Ferid mentioned Yuuichirou's letter, his expression fixed with shock before he furrow his brows in rage. "That letter was for me! How dare you!"

"How dare I, indeed." Ferid mocked before he let go of Mikaela's face like he was some trash before his hand gripped Mikaela's hair painfully, eliciting a grunt from the other. "I think you have forgotten who mated with Yuu before you came in the picture, so you best keep your mouth shut and know your place, my dear nephew."

"… Why,"

"Hm?"

"Why are you doing this?!" Mikaela asked despite the pain at having his haired pulled. "You already did what you want, so why do it again?! Yuu-chan and his parents had already suffered so much, and yet you―"

"―It's because your real father is alive."

Mikaela stopped talking instantly.

"Your mother had told you so many times in your younger years that your father died in a shipwreck, but guess what? He's still there in Russia, and he's playing the role as its Prime Minister. He's the same as Yuu's father in so many ways." Ferid's grip became even more painful. "And the worst of it all is that you have the same face as him and it makes me sick."

The way his uncle said those words were poisonous. In all his life, Mikaela never expected Ferid to harbor such hate towards him until now. He thought Ferid was just batshit crazy about Yuuichirou in such a sick way. Oh, he was so wrong.

"So… All this time, you…"

"Yes," Ferid said. "I hate you from the moment you were born. You were a mistake that shouldn't have been made. But for Krul's sake, I endured those years of giving you fake smiles and praises. I had a lot of chances of killing you, but I didn't because Krul would hate me in return and I don't like that."

Hearing his uncle say that to him caused a heavy feeling to settle down on Mikaela's chest; almost like a stinging slap on his cheek. But Mikaela didn't let it hinder him when he listened, too confused and shocked to understand what his uncle meant but he was attentive enough to notice one thing in Ferid's words.

"… You keep on mentioning Mom." He said, eyeing Ferid suspiciously. "What does she have to do with any of this?"

Ferid inhaled a breath before speaking, "I love your mother the same way you love Yuu."

Mikaela felt like he was punched in the gut.

"You… You what?"

"I love Krul in the romantic sense." Ferid repeated again clearly as he let go of Mikaela's hair. "You see… Krul and I have the same father but different mothers, born on the same year. While Krul was treated with grace and adoration from others, I was criticized negatively due to the bad family history that my mother held. Yet even so, no one showed me utmost kindness and love except for Krul, my half-sister."

A rare, faraway smile appeared on Ferid's face as he remembered. "I kept on telling her that it was okay to leave me but she insisted at staying by my side to keep me company, always saying that she doesn't want to see me lonely. It irritated me a lot… but it still made me happy that she was willing to go through great lengths for me. It eventually didn't take a long while for me to develop a crush on her… until your father came along and ruined everything."

Mikaela stiffened on his seat as Ferid threw him a glare―a deadly one―before it morphed to one of his usual sickening smiles.

"You're a smart one, Mika-kun, so I'll let you puzzle out the pieces. I'm sure I've given you more than enough information for one day."

"… Yeah, you did," Mikaela agreed with a hum. "You disgust me."

"The feeling is mutual." Ferid nodded. "But no matter… Soon, I'll take great pleasure in your struggle as I invite Yuuichirou to bed again like I used to. And there isn't anything you could do to stop it."

Mikaela could only bite on his bottom lip as Ferid chuckled gleefully, his hands curling into fists as he wait on for Yuuichirou, praying for him.

Yuuichirou rubbed on his wrist absentmindedly, caressing the mark Mikaela left him gently as if to comfort his injured skin while he watched the changing scenery in a cab. The mark still throbbed under his fingers but the pain that he felt a while ago had dulled significantly and it worried him. It was too quiet.

Mika…

"Are you all right, Yuu?"

Yuuichirou flinched when he was addressed so suddenly. He blushed lightly when he was caught before he turned to his father with a guilty expression, his hand never leaving his wrist.

"I… I'm fine, but Mika is quiet. I'm worried."

"Knowing who is holding him captive, I'm not surprised." Guren commented with a sigh. "But if what Ferid said was true, then he wouldn't dare do anything to Mikaela-kun until you show up. Despite his sly and cunning nature, Ferid is never one to break his word. I should know."

"You were friends before, so I have nothing against that." Yuuichirou agreed with a nod. "But for your friendship to suddenly come to an end was still something I don't understand. I'm not one to pry, but I can't say that I wasn't curious as to why it happened in the first place."

"Yuu…" Guren said slowly, extending a hand to let it ruffle through Yuuichirou's hair. "Let bygones be bygones. Ferid had his reasons and I accepted it. I can't take it back and Ferid's just that stubborn."

"I know, but…"

"One day," Guren interrupted. "I'll tell you one day… along with Mikaela-kun, since this is his uncle. I was reluctant to tell you at first, but now that Mikaela-kun is involved... I guess the time is near for me to tell you the truth."

Yuuichirou blinked in confusion and surprise.

… The truth?

"What do you mean, Dad?"

"… You'll see. But for now, we have to focus on getting Mikaela-kun back and to put Ferid to where he rightfully belongs." And to put an end to this never ending cycle of hate and bitterness.

"… He's almost here. Yuuichirou Ichinose."

Mikaela flinched on his seat when Ferid suddenly said that after a moment of silence. The blonde alpha could think of him as crazy, but he couldn't deny that Yuuichirou was indeed coming close. How Mikaela knew about it was confusing; almost like he could sense him even when he wasn't physically there yet.

… What is this?

"From the way you react, Mika-kun… You can sense him too, right?"

Blue eyes widened at that and he looked at Ferid with perplexity. "What do you mean?"

"Sensing one's potential mate is normal for anyone who leaves a mark on them. So if you are reacting like this, then that means you have marked my ex-omega." Ferid concluded as he gave Mikaela a look. "I didn't know you were a thief; stealing one's mate like that."

"I didn't steal shit!" Mikaela objected. "Yuu-chan willingly allowed me to do so despite what you have done to him! If anyone is the thief, it's you!"

Ferid chuckled at that, not bothered by the insult. "We shall see. Once dear Yuu comes here, he'll practically beg and give himself to me just as willingly. And do you know why?"

Ferid gave a sinister smile to Mikaela as he turned his head, malice breaming from that expression while he pointed at Mikaela.

"It's because he'll do it for you. You're the reason why he will be weak tonight, and I look forward to seeing him surrender himself because that will be the only choice he'll have in his disposal."

―

"We're here." Guren announced as the cab stopped in front of the designated hotel. When Guren saw it, he was baffled, recognizing the building almost instantly. "… Isn't this where you were supposed to be staying during the world meeting? Why would Ferid choose this place?"

"I think I have an idea on what he is trying to pull." Yuuichirou said as he got out of the car, sheathed sword in hand. "'In order to face your demons, you have to go to its roots and fight it,' or something like that… Ferid-san chose this place specifically as a way to let me remember what he did to me three years ago. While the hotel itself doesn't do any harm, its symbolic meaning does in this matter."

A lopsided smile appeared on Yuuichirou's face as he tightened his grip on his sword.

"That asshole is really pushing my buttons... I will take great pleasure into finally killing him with my own hands."

Guren sighed from beside him. "Yuu, I know you hate him to the very core but you can't kill him. At most, you can restrain him."

Yuuichirou shot his father an incredulous look. "Huh?! Why can't I kill him?! He was the reason why Mom is dead, and why I'm not what I'm supposed to be! He deserves to die!"

"Calm down. I know what you're feeling, Yuu, but I won't allow you to become a murderer just for the sake of revenge and anger. That isn't how an Ichinose is supposed to be." The older beta grasped Yuuichirou by the shoulder so that they were now facing each other. "Besides… I have high bets that Ferid knows that you'll charge head on. Doing that does so many negative outcomes in the end. And don't forget that Mikaela-kun is in there as well."

Yuuichirou bit on his bottom lip. "I know. I know that… more than anyone else. With Mika there and my hatred for this man, I'm put on a huge disadvantage. But what else am I supposed to do when I'm pushed into a corner with no way out?"

Guren watched in silence as Yuuichirou's eyes became moist with tears and his breathing slowly losing its normal pattern.

"I don't want to experience the same thing all over again, but I also don't want Mika's life to be on the line just because of me. I love him too much for that." Yuuichirou hiccupped as tears freely fall from his eyes.

"… I know." Guren simply said and he patted his son comfortingly. "But you're here now. I think you have made up your mind, right?"

Yuuichirou's eyes widened a bit at that before he nodded with a look of determination. "… Yes." He sniffed and wiped his tears away using his sleeve. "I did say in the phone that I'm tired of running away and I also made a vow to myself that I'll save Mika no matter what. And once I made such decisions, I make sure that it is fulfilled until end… even if it hurts me."

A small grin cracked on Guren's face when he listened to his son talk before he ruffled his hair, murmuring under his breath, "You really are my son…" He stopped messing with Yuuichirou's hair so that he could smile proudly at him, which would only happen when Yuuichirou did something impressing. It was a very rare occurrence and Yuuichirou was left staring at his father in wonder.

"I hold you to your word, Yuu. Don't break it." Guren said after a moment, the familiar words feeling Yuuichirou with nostalgia and encouragement.

"You know damn well I don't…" Yuuichirou smiled smugly as he took hold of Guren's hand and gently removed it from his head. "Especially this one."

The two exchange knowing smiled before proceeding to the building with the intent of ending everything once and for all; setting their plan into motion in each step they take.

―

Mikaela flinched when the phone by the bedside rang loudly in the penthouse Ferid reserved for his special meeting with Yuuichirou. As if expecting it, Ferid took the phone and answered it with a smile; but not before putting it on loudspeaker.

"Yes, this is Bathory speaking." Ferid said in English.

"M-Monsieur Bathory… You have a guest in the lobby who wants to see you. He identifies himself as Yuuichirou Ichinose." The employee by the counter replied, sounding hasty.

"Oh, I see. Send him in; I was expecting him."

"R-Right away, Sir."

Ferid chuckled as he lowered down the phone back to its place and gave Mikaela a grin. "See what I mean, Mika-kun? I knew he would come after you. These things are just too predictable."

As if on cue, the chime of the elevator rang and the doors open to reveal Yuuichirou in it. Yuuichirou's green eyes immediately narrowed down to Mikaela's battered and restrained appearance on the chair he was in, and he made a stride as he instantly reached out to him, almost dropping his weapon in the process.

"Mika..."

"Not so fast, Yuu, dear." Ferid's voice came in as the alpha walked to be beside Mikaela, earning a growl from Yuuichirou. "I believe we have to accomplish a deal before we get to our prizes, yeah?"

"You…" Yuuichirou threatened as he gripped on the handle of his sword, his iris turning into a red hue. "I'm here in the flesh and in front of you. I kept my end of the bargain, now let Mika go."

"Tsk, tsk, Yuu, Yuu…" Ferid scolded playfully as he waved a finger. "I said that I'll keep Mika-kun safe and unharmed if you go here. I didn't say that I'll free him. If you want my nephew's freedom, then you have to wager something of equal value."

He chuckled before he took Mikaela's face with a hand and squeezed his cheeks hard, not bothering the pained grunts that Mikaela made because of his wounds. "Isn't that right, 'Yuu-chan'?"

Yuuichirou could feel one of his eyes twitch from what Ferid did and he automatically removed his sword from its scabbard, his anger seeping in uncontrollable waves. "Don't fuck with me, asshole! I'm going to have to kill you before I make some damn bet with you―!"

"Calm down, Yuu." Guren's radio static voice reminded him in his small ear piece. "Remember the plan. Don't let your emotions sway that easily."

Gritting his teeth, Yuuichirou took a deep breath before he lowered his stance in a more laxed position, meeting Ferid's eyes.

"On second thought… I give. You're not worth my energy." He announced in it so calmly which surprised both Ferid and Mikaela as he returned his sword back in its scabbard. "… What do you want?"

"Oh?" Ferid's smile widened as he let go of Mikaela's face to pat Mikaela's head instead. "A wise choice, Yuu." He complimented. "So, let's see… If I am to bargain my nephew's freedom, then I want your freedom in exchange for it, Yuu dear. You probably already know how much I fancy you during our time together in the past and I would very much want to relive those moments even if you aren't an omega now."

"You're insane." Yuuichirou commented after he heard that, pausing for a bit before he asked. "And what if I refuse that offer?"

"If you refuse…" A clicking sound was heard and the warm hand that was patting Mikaela's head was replaced with a cold, metal steel and Mikaela instinctually froze up as the feeling of dread ran through his veins at his assumptions of the object that was now on top of his head. "… Then, I'll just have to kill Mika-kun in front of your very eyes."

Yuuichirou stared shocked when he saw Ferid aiming a revolver on top of Mikaela's head. "You wouldn't…"

"Oh, I would. Do want to test it?" Ferid offered as he toyed with the trigger, his finger lingering on the damn piece of metal every so often and sending Yuuichirou's heart racing in pressure.

"S-Stop… I'll… I'll do it…" Yuuichirou said as he revert the color of his eyes back to green with a long blink and dropped his sword on the floor. "I'll do whatever you want, just don't kill Mika… Please."

Ferid hummed at the plea, extremely pleased by the submission. "Ah… I knew you would say that."

"―Yuu-chan, you don't have to!" Mikaela protested despite being under the aim of a gun, meeting Yuuichirou's eyes. "It's okay! I don't care if I die for you! You don't have to give yourself up for me!"

"Tsk, shut up." Ferid ordered before he smacked Mikaela across the face with the gun, drawing blood on the corner of his lips from the impact and causing Mikaela to wince.

"Mika…!" Yuuichirou cried out in horror as he instinctually reached out.

"Now then, Yuu dear…" Ferid tutted and Yuuichirou stopped in his tracks. "Decide right here and now what to give up; Mika-kun's freedom or yours. The answer is very easy, but if you insist on becoming stubborn, I had to raise the bar a little bit high to compensate it. Everything comes with a price, after all."

Yuuichirou looked over to Mikaela cautiously, his eyes wandering on Mikaela's appearance then to the gun being pointed at him. Just by looking at the terrible scene before him was making it difficult to breathe for Yuuichirou. His heart was beating slowly and heavily in his chest as sweat dripped down from his head at the critical decision laid before him. But, regardless of what Yuuichirou chose in the end, one of them would have their freedom and life taken away.

The odds were completely against him. And Yuuichirou painfully knew this.

If I reject his offer, Mika will die. But if I want Mika to live, I have to be this bastard's…

Pursing his lips, Yuuichirou took a deep breath to calm himself down, taking the opportunity to remember what he and his father had planned out for this.

"The only way to catch Ferid off guard is to distract him momentarily." Guren said as he gave Yuuichirou a radio connected ear piece. "He may be scheming, but like any other people out there, he also has his moments of weakness. With how he's so fixated on you, there's no doubt that he would lower his guard just to have you on his bed."

Yuuichirou visibly shivered in disgust at the sound of that. "So… If I'm going to have to strike at his weak spot, then I have to…"

"Unfortunately, yes. You have to lure him in, and when that time comes, we will take immediate action." Guren explained and he pointed at the ear piece he gave Yuuichirou. "I'll be monitoring you with this, so you don't have to worry about going alone. I have your back."

Yuuichirou exhaled slowly at the memory and stood up straight with confidence, a hand on his chest. "I decided…" He said in a firm voice. "In exchange for Mika's freedom, I give you myself in return."

"―Yuu-chan, no...!" Mikaela screamed in protest.

"It's okay, Mika…" Yuuichirou assured Mikaela with a smile. "It's okay…"

"No, it's not! Not after everything that my uncle did to―mph?!" Mikaela thrashed his head as a cloth was tied around his mouth, muffling everything the alpha wanted to say while he squirmed on his seat.

"My, my… My nephew is quite talkative today. You'll have to excuse him." Ferid sneered out a faulty apology as he approached Yuuichirou provocatively, his movements sending chills on the beta which incited Yuuichirou to take a step back. "So that's your decision, my dear? There's no turning back on this."

"Yes." Yuuichirou confirmed. "This… is my decision. And as such, I expect you to keep your end of the deal."

"Mm, yes, I will. But first…"

Reaching a hand out, Ferid caressed Yuuichirou's hair and cheek like the other was something precious, but Yuuichirou didn't like it… especially when the touch he was receiving was hollow and cold. It wasn't anything like Mikaela's, and it repulsed him.

And even more so when Ferid said the next set of words next to his ear, almost whispering to him, "… Let me reclaim you as my own again."

Yuuichirou's eyes widened and he barely managed a word out when his back was slammed onto the nearest wall in blinding speed with his arms forced above his head in a powerful grip. The impact was thankfully mild but it was still enough for Yuuichirou to feel pain on his back which made him grunt in response to it. He didn't even recover yet from what just happened when he felt icy fingers lingering down on his button up shirt, feeling his body, before it was forcibly tore open to reveal his naked chest and abdomen, forcing a blush to form on Yuuichirou's cheeks.

"W-W-What the fuck do you think doing?!" Yuuichirou yelped, feeling so exposed. "If you want to claim me, do it some other time. J-Just not here, in front of… of…"

"Hmm? What's wrong? Are you embarrassed that my nephew is watching us?" Ferid asked lowly as his free hand travelled down to Yuuichirou's belt. "You don't have to worry, Yuu dear. Just ignore him."

"It's easy for you to sa―AGH! Fuck, stop…!" Yuuichirou winced when Ferid suddenly bit him on his ear hard enough to cause beads of blood to flow out of the wound, which was lapped out by a wet tongue pressing on it.

"I don't think I could… with how delicious you taste."

"S-Shut up…"

Yuuichirou bit on his bottom lip as he struggled to move his hands, but to no avail with how strong Ferid was pinning them almost to the point of pain that he could even feel blunt nails digging into his skin. It made Yuuichirou rigid to Ferid's advances, and he made a choked sound when he felt something rubbing him through his pants and licking him on his neck, luring him to arousal.

But all that Yuuichirou could feel right now was revulsion and discomfort. It had him remembering what happened to him three years ago when he was under Ferid's mercy for two excruciating months, and he almost panicked into another episode if not for Mikaela's presence in the room keeping him grounded.

Yuuichirou glanced behind the silver-haired alpha to see Mikaela looking at them in horror, blatantly ignoring Ferid working him up as he stared into Mikaela's blue eyes and smiled at him soothingly.

Don't look like that, Mika. Be brave for me. He said through their faint bond, pleased at Mikaela's surprised expression.

… How? Mikaela asked desperately in return, tears forming at the corner of his eyes as he hung his head low. You're cornered and I couldn't do anything to stop it. It's because of me that you're suffering again!

Have faith in me.

Blue eyes widened at the firm resolve in Yuuichirou's thought before their communication was cut off with a sudden shriek. Alarmed, Mikaela turned to see Yuuichirou being bitten again, and this time, the bite mark was placed dangerously close to his scent glands as a trail of blood oozed out from it. Watching the thick liquid sluicing down on Yuuichirou's neck, Mikaela could feel something rising inside him when he saw yet another injury to the beta, making him restless and agitated the more he sat there and just witness the entire thing.

He wanted to do something to stop this but with how damn tight the ropes were holding him down, he couldn't do anything.

Mikaela gritted his teeth in frustration.

If only there was something! Anything―!

Then, all of a sudden – as if answering his plea – a glass window broke down with a loud cracking sound, and a person dressed in a black suit appeared from it as he pointed a gun on Ferid.

"This is the French Interpol!" He announced as more men came in the room, securing it. "Ferid Bathory, you're under arrest for producing and selling illegal omegan drugs, having possession of sedative-hypnotics and ecstasy as well as the murder of the late wife of the Japanese Prime Minister. You're coming with us."

"Impossible…" Ferid murmured under his breath as he was pulled away from Yuuichirou and handcuffed. "How did they―"

"―Long time, no see, Ferid."

Ferid snapped his head to the source of that familiar voice only to find Guren glaring at him right to his face. But Ferid was unfazed as he returned the expression with his own, hissing at the man.

"So this is your doing… Guren…"

"Well, what do you know? I said I was going to fix this real soon and I did, didn't I?" Guren taunted as his glare turned into a sneer, feeing extremely pleased. "Finally, after three years… I'm going to set things right in between the two of us."

"There is nothing to be set right in between us when this is your entire fault, Guren! You―!" Ferid screamed as he was being led away, twisting his head to Guren as he continued to spit out venomous words. "If you didn't encourage Krul…! If you didn't bring her to that god damn party…! If you didn't leave her on her own…! None of these would have happened! It was you, always you…! I should've killed you back then when I had the chance! Right after your father was killed!"

Guren clenched his fist at the mention of his father and he gave Ferid a deadly look behind him, pure, black rage seething through his entire being. "Shut up before I cut off that tongue of yours, Bathory… since you'll need it to defend yourself in court real soon."

"GUREN―!" Ferid screeched before he disappeared with a hefty amount of Interpol policemen securing him, preventing the alpha from escaping if he dared to try.

Once Ferid was taken care of, Guren sighed in relief to calm himself down, combing back some of his hair as he watched his son hugging an alpha so tightly like he was drowning, and the alpha hugging him back and petting Yuuichirou's hair to comfort him.

"I'm glad he didn't go too far…"

Guren heard through the ear piece.

"I thought that you would have to experience that all over again, and I just… I just felt so helpless. I'm sorry."

"No, don't..." Yuuichirou's raspy voice denied. "You weren't helpless, Mika. You just... have no idea how just sensing your presence was enough for me to calm down."

"Yuu-chan…"

A smile formed on Guren's lips when he heard their peaceful conversation, thankful that his son was in safe hands while he turned to leave the room quietly, removing his own ear piece when he sensed his son and Mikaela kissing passionately behind him.


	22. Confrontation

**Chapter 22: Confrontation**

News about Ferid's arrest spread wide and fast, and people were talking about it nonstop. The media had been swarming all over the place to get a scoop of that event, questioning Guren, Yuuichirou and Mikaela of what happened during the event after Guren announced his momentary stay in France to smooth things out.

And among those things included explaining to Ferid's omegan half-sister and Mikaela's mother, Krul Tepes, of what happened; which wasn't particularly easy given how Krul and Ferid were siblings with very close family ties, taking a load of persuading. Something Yuuichirou could relate with his encounter with Mikaela in a particular night, making them wary when the news reached Krul's ears.

Guren was expecting her to be angry, but instead she invited him over for tea and cookies in the mansion she bought for Mikaela during his (suspended) internship now that Ferid's case was over. It wasn't all too bad…

… That was until the four of them sit in the dining room with the tea set all prepared.

"It's been a long while, Guren." Krul greeted as she poured herself a cup of tea, the smell of freshly brewed leaves mingling in the air as her eyes stared at the man across her and their children sitting beside him, a neutral look on her face. "I've heard what happened and the other details that follow yesterday. It's a little hard to believe after how much time has passed…"

Guren looked at Krul incredulously. "… You're not mad at all? This is Ferid and our kids we are talking about."

"I am mad." Krul snapped a bit loudly than necessary, causing Guren to tense up a bit. "I am mad that my brother got arrested, I am mad that Mika and Yuu got hurt, I am mad that my brother was doing something illegal behind my back, but I am _exceptionally_ mad that I wasn't told about this sooner."

"I-I'm sorry, Mom…" Mikaela apologized quickly, his expression guilty. "Yuu-chan and I… We had a reason why we kept this a secret from you. And I guess we just… didn't expect uncle to do such a thing and for you to find out in this manner―"

"If anything," Yuuichirou intervened, catching Mikaela and Guren's attention. "I should be the one apologizing… since I'm the cause for all this. And for that, I'll humbly accept any kind of responsibility for putting Mika's life in danger as well as his sudden absence in his internship."

Krul shook her head with a sigh. "No, no, Yuu, it's okay… It's just hard to take all of these in such a little time. I'm mad, yes, but I know who to point my anger on after what I've heard about your… past with my brother. You shouldn't be the one apologizing when you weren't the one who started it in the first place."

Yuuichirou looked at Krul, surprised. "But I…"

"… In fact, I should be the one apologizing." Krul said as she lowered her teacup down. "Truthfully, I never thought Ferid-nii would act like this ever since what happened back then. I was even aware of his feelings about me too… but I wasn't expecting it to run deep enough for him to actually do damage, especially to Guren, Yuu… and now, Mika. And that was my mistake."

The three men across her were silent as they took the information in. Guren, in particular, felt pretty heavy in the chest after hearing that and he raised a hand to scratch the back of his head, making a sort of annoyed sound.

"Times were hard during that time, Krul, and Ferid was a cunning ass all the time."

Krul snorted, her expression cracking into a smile at what Guren said, thinking to herself at how typical the older beta was. "True, Ferid-nii was always like that, but it was for a good reason until, well… what happened between me and Ivan-kun."

Mikaela thinned his lips at that name, no doubt his father's, and his hands curled into fists on his lap, his scent radiating that spoke of his feelings about it; a mix of confusion and anger. He didn't care if it probably surrounded the room already; he just let it all out.

Yuuichirou glanced over to him in worry, not only smelling Mikaela's scent but also _feeling_ his inner turmoil through their bond despite its faintness. And without thinking twice of his next move, he stood up from his seat abruptly, surprising the others.

"I'm…" He began, voice quivering a bit. "I'm going to get some air."

"Oh, sure…" Krul acknowledged with a nod.

"Thanks." Yuuichirou mumbled as he quickly grabbed his coat before walking away, but not before leaving a mental note to Mikaela that said: _And you're coming with me_.

Mikaela flinched when Yuuichirou's thought reached him, and he too stood up from his seat with a simple, "I'm going too."

Immediately, the scent, along with the tension, was taken away and the two adults in the room sighed in relief.

"So Ferid told him, huh…" Guren muttered as he combed his hair back. "That's so like him…"

Krul sighed in agreement. "Mika wasn't supposed to find it out this way… Actually, no, I should've told him about Ivan-kun earlier, but I got scared about what he'll think when his father abandoned him…" Krul raised her arms to hug herself as a look of disappointment made way to her face, her scent wavering. "I'm pathetic, aren't I, Guren? What kind of mother am I to keep such secrets away from my son when he had every right to know? And to make matters worse, I lied to him about his father's existence all this time…"

A bitter smile curled on Krul's lips as her eyes begin to glisten with unshed tears. "I really am pathetic…"

"That's not true, Krul." Guren denied as he stood up to pat Krul's head from across the table, his other hand balancing him. "Ever since you knew you were pregnant and got suspended from Medicine school because of it, you faced everything head-on. You had the option to abort Mikaela-kun but you didn't, and you even chose to handle your pregnancy and raise him alone. If anything, you're strong; we all are."

Krul sniffled softly, hiccupping slightly as she raised her head to see Guren smiling down on her, his scent―a calming mix of mint and lavender― was spreading in soothing waves and Krul visibly calmed down under his care, despite Guren being a beta. It may probably be because of the sense of familiarity for the other or the need to feel secure that made Krul nuzzle up against Guren's hand as a few tears fall down her face, taking in the gentle warmth relaxing her and sighing almost breathlessly from it.

"Thank you, Guren…" Krul sniffed as a genuine smile came to her face while she wiped her tears away. "I'm sorry; here I am crying that I'm keeping secrets from Mika while you have to face the pain of your son being in pain after everything Ferid-nii did to him. I don't know how I could make it better for the both of you now that the damage was done."

"That was a long time ago, Krul." Guren said as he pulled back his hand. "It was hard, but in the end, we both moved on from it… Yet, I'm worried about Yuu since he was vastly traumatized from it all and nothing could remedy him."

Krul hummed as she thought of his words before she shook her head and smiled.

"There is a remedy, Guren." She replied, looking at the beta knowingly.

And Guren took the message.

* * *

"… We both look and feel like shit, huh?" Yuuichirou muttered as he and Mikaela stared at their reflection on the river underneath the Pont des Arts Bridge, his fingers curling on the wired fence holding numerous locks shine under the morning sun.

He glanced at Mikaela who hung his head low and stared blankly at their reflections on the water, silent after the question.

Yuuichirou's grip on the fence tightened and he faced Mikaela with a smile being forced up on his face. "Mika, talk to me. It's pretty lonely, you know…"

"…"

Yuuichirou's expression faltered and he sighed. "… Please?"

This time, Mikaela reacted with a hasty, "I'm sorry."

"H-Huh? What for?" Yuuichirou asked, taken aback by the sudden apology. "You didn't do something to me yet, so why?"

Mikaela raised a hand to tuck in his hair as a small blush formed on his cheeks. "I was acting childish back then, spreading my scent like that and throwing a tantrum…"

 _You didn't exactly throw a tantrum, you know…_

 _Well, I did… silently._

Mikaela's silly answer caused Yuuichirou to snort in disbelief while the alpha's blush brightened enough to reach his ears.

"Is that really worth apologizing for?"

"I made you all worried and tensed…" Mikaela explained as he looked ahead of the bridge's horizon, his eyes admiring the distant sea and sky along with the scenery of Paris' buildings. "We were supposed to know why everything turned out the way it was but after hearing what I assumed to be my father's name, I made it all uncomfortable for us."

"Oh, that…" Yuuichirou hummed as he let go of the fence and fully turned towards Mikaela. "Hey, no sweat, we could always talk about it some other time. Maybe now just isn't the right one."

"And precisely when is that 'some other time', Yuu-chan?" Mikaela asked as he too turned fully towards Yuuichirou with a small frown. "Your father's stay is only temporary, but it's enough to lessen any kind of political issues that could arise because of what my uncle did. Do you think by then we could still talk about this matter?"

"Of course, Mika, there's no doubt about that." The raven answered firmly, green eyes shining in determination as he neared Mikaela. "Dad said he would tell us the truth, and when he does something like that, he never breaks it. I trust him on his word… just as much as I trust you."

Mikaela's breath hitched when he heard Yuuichirou's resolve, blue eyes wide in a fraction as he stared at the beta in amazement and he felt his heart racing in his chest, feeling himself fall for Yuuichirou all over again or even more. It was making him warm and giddy on the inside, the feeling of happiness spreading all over his scent while he unconsciously leaned close to the raven, lips barely touching.

"… Really?" He breathed.

"Really," Yuuichirou confirmed with a small nod as he lift up his hands to tug on Mikaela's coat to bring the alpha even closer, all too happy to feel Mikaela's warmth on him. "If I didn't, I wouldn't entrust you with my past and my feelings, you idiot."

"That's pretty mean, Yuu-chan." Mikaela pouted but he didn't take the empty insult too hard as he wrapped his arms around Yuuichirou and smiled, nuzzling on the beta lovingly and purring. "… Then, does that make me your idiot?"

Yuuichirou laughed, a beautiful sound to Mikaela's ears, as he pressed their foreheads together and returned the affectionate gesture with his own in kind. "Of course you're my idiot, Mika. I wouldn't want any other besides you."

And there went Mikaela's heart racing again, thumping in pleasant melodies inside his chest and making him feel all light and contented that he could sigh in bliss. Mikaela never thought that falling in love with someone could be this wonderful, and with the way Yuuichirou was reciprocating his touches, he could tell that the beta felt the same way. And it was heavenly.

Staring into each other's eyes for a while, no words of permission were needed as they lean close to one another and kiss soundly, eyes closing as they enjoy the sensations of their lips touching the other in gentle, quiet smacks. Fingers pawed leisurely on fabrics as they took their time tasting and exploring each other's tastes, breathing each other's air out until they were left panting and breathless.

Pulling back a bit, their eyes were glazed and their skin flushed with feverish desire for the other as they breathed in for air. Gasping soundlessly, Yuuichirou raised his hands a bit higher to cup Mikaela's face, burying his fingers on soft yellow locks and rubbing his thumbs in slow circles on the alpha's soft skin; he smiled.

"I love you…" Yuuichirou whispered through pants as he pressed their foreheads together again. "I really love you, Mika."

"I love you too, Yuu-chan." Mikaela answered in a heartbeat, giving Yuuichirou's backside a small squeeze. "I love you so, so much."

Yuuichirou hummed in content, luring Mikaela into another kiss until he heard Mikaela's name being called out somewhere from the distance. Blinking in confusion, Yuuichirou pulled back to see who it was…

… Only to be greeted by a brunette girl waving at them with a big smile on her face.

"Mika…! Is that you, Mika?!"

Hearing the voice, Mikaela pulled back a bit to turn his head around with a frown because who the hell dared to disrupt his time with his precious Yuu-chan?! The nerve of them! But, before he could even do so much as to glare at the person, his eyes widened in recognition and he paled enough to get Yuuichirou's attention.

"It can't be…" He murmured as he slowly let go of his arms around Yuuichirou.

"M-Mika, what's wrong? Who is she?" Yuuichirou asked as he began to panic in Mikaela's sudden change in behavior.

"It's… her." Mikaela murmured so quietly like he didn't want to be caught and Yuuichirou had to lean closer to hear what he was saying. "It's Akane…"

This time, it was Yuuichirou's turn to pale out as he heard that familiar name in one of his conversations with Krul, and he suddenly felt sick in his stomach.

This girl, this brunette… was Akane Hyakuya.

And she's Mikaela's fiancée.


	23. Can We Still Be Friends?

**Chapter 23: Can We Still Be Friends?**

"Mika…!" Akane called out again as she ran over to them and brazenly wound her arm around Mikaela's, smiling as she cuddled up against her fiancé. "I was so worried about you when I heard the news about your uncle. Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?"

"Uh, no, Akane, I'm fine…" Mikaela murmured as he moved uncomfortably from Akane's hold on him. He returned her gesture with a pat on her head. "I wasn't expecting to see you. How did you get here?"

"Oh, Mika, once I heard what happened, I told Papa about it and he immediately sent me over here by jet to check on you. I was so restless. I don't know what would happen to you after I knew how dangerous your uncle was. It must be devastating…" Akane said as she looked up at Mikaela with her brown eyes slightly glistening and her hold around Mikaela's arm tightened to the point that it was already between her bosoms.

Yuuichirou couldn't help but stare at the pair in complete awkwardness, his eyes particularly narrowing down on where Akane was holding Mikaela and he felt his hands twitch at the closeness. He bit on his lip to control himself from acting on the jealousy settling in his stomach as he remained silent, listening to Mikaela and Akane talk.

"It, er… It wasn't so bad, Akane…" The alpha replied, trying to sound as respectful as possible. "Oh, and I want you to meet someone."

"Hm…?" Akane raised a brow before she looked at the person Mikaela was referring to.

Mikaela gestured to Yuuichirou by reaching out a hand. "Uhm, Akane, this is Yuu―"

"―Yuuichirou Ichinose, correct?" Akane continued as her eyes sparkled in excitement and admiration for the raven beta and she quickly let go of Mikaela's arm in favor of giving Yuuichirou a vigorous handshake, shaking the other from the force. "It's a great pleasure to meet you in person, Ichinose-san. I'm Akane Hyakuya, the daughter of the CEO of Hyakuya Insurance Company and Mikaela's fiancé."

"Uh-huh…" Yuuichirou murmured with a nod as the handshake stopped. "I've heard about you from Krul-san…"

"You did? Oh, it's such an honor!" Akane squealed before she went back to clinging on Mikaela's arm. "Not a lot of people get to have the privilege to talk to someone of the government up close and personal, after all. I'm glad I was given such an opportunity."

One of Yuuichirou's eyebrows twitched when he saw Akane going back to holding Mikaela's arm and he nearly let out a soft, possessive growl before he stopped himself in time, surprising himself at that way of thinking. What the hell was wrong with him, to become so worked up from just seeing that when he had no right to? Akane was Mikaela's fiancée and she had every right to do those things. He had no right to be resentful.

 _And ,yet… My heart is aching._

Yuuichirou unconsciously brought a hand to his chest and clenched on his coat as if to stop the negative emotions flowing inside him. He shouldn't feel this way; he shouldn't feel the need to wrench that omega from Mikaela when she had the final say due to her right at Mikaela's fiancée. And from how much she was practically glued to the alpha, Yuuichirou could immediately tell that Akane was head-over-heels in love with Mikaela just as much as himself or maybe even more.

If she ever knew about Mikaela's feelings, Yuuichirou just wouldn't know how well she would take it.

His body language didn't go unnoticed by Mikaela, who had all but listened to Akane's endless sharing as he glanced worriedly over to Yuuichirou. He could tell that the beta was trying to be polite for Akane's sake, but he could also sense very well how distressed Yuuichirou was despite the lack of communication in their bond. Admittedly, Mikaela didn't like it as well, but since Akane was his childhood friend, he could at least give her some happiness before spilling the beans.

As much as he didn't want to hurt Akane's feelings, he had to tell her how he really felt about her, their engagement and his newfound love for Yuuichirou. He didn't want to give Akane something that might lead to regret and bitterness.

"Ah, Akane…" Mikaela began slowly, cutting Akane in a random talk.

"Yes, Mika?"

"Well, since you just came all the way here to see me, I was just thinking of treating you to lunch. You must be hungry."

"Oh, now that I think about it, I am…" Akane agreed with her voice filled with wonder before she beamed up to Mikaela, moving closer to him. "You know me so well, Mika."

Mikaela could feel Yuuichirou glaring at him but he ignored it in favor of bringing Akane and Yuuichirou to a place to come in terms with his dilemma. "I know a place nearby. I'm sure Yuu-chan wouldn't mind joining us for lunch."

If possible, Yuuichirou's glare heightened tenfold after hearing that, but the beta was quick to hide it from Akane whose eyes glimmered again when she turned to him.

"Why not? The more, the merrier, right? What do you say, Ichinose-san?"

"Uhm…" Yuuichirou fidgeted a bit, looking down at his feet as he contemplated on what to do. He honestly didn't want to go because he already couldn't stand seeing Mikaela and Akane together now, but there was this nagging feeling that told him to go; almost like a pull. He didn't know why the hell his gut was telling him to do something he didn't like yet he found himself nodding nimbly.

"Sure, I guess. If that's okay for the both of you, that is…"

Mikaela nearly made a sound of relief since he was expecting Yuuichirou to refuse. But now that he accepted his invitation, he wouldn't let this chance go to waste.

Akane made a toothy grin as she raised a fist in the air for victory. "All right, that settles it~! Lead the way, Mika~!"

* * *

The place was a small café near the Louvre Palace. It was like any other ordinary café that Yuuichirou would find in Japan, except that it had a more artistic interior and it smelled strongly of coffee and confectionary sugar. It was absolutely heavenly and Yuuichirou found himself drooling for a bit as the three of them were seated in a particularly nice spot in the café.

"Wow, this place is amazing, Mika." Akane commented as her brown eyes roamed the place, taking each detail in absolute delight. "How did you come across this?"

"Hmm, let's just say that I had some adventures of my own during my stay here. It's pretty convenient, you know." Mikaela said with a smile and a wink as he looked at the menu given to them, tapping his fingers patiently on the table while waiting for his two companions to order.

"Ah, let's see now..." Akane hummed as her eyes scanned over the menu.

While she was deciding what to order, she took a small peek over to see what Mikaela was doing, but while doing so, she saw Mikaela telling Yuuichirou what some dishes mean in English, guiding him and even smiling fondly at him. The view of the both of them made her pause and stare in awe as she observed them from her point. For some reason, she felt out of place between the two of them and she awkwardly shifted in her seat.

"Uhm..." Akane began nervously. "I think I'll get a N-Napolitan and a melon soda..."

"Oh, sure. Anything else?"

"N-No, that's fine. How about you, Ichinose-san?" Akane asked Yuuichirou who flinched at being addressed so suddenly when he was too concentrated on understanding a word on the menu.

"Eh, um... I guess I'll just take a strawberry milkshake. I'm not really hungry, anyway." Yuuichirou mumbled as a small blush formed on his cheeks before he set down the menu and stood up from his chair. "I'm going to the restroom for a bit. Please feel free to start without me."

"Sure thing, Yuu-chan." Mikaela said with a nod as he addressed a waiter to take their orders with a hand gesture.

Yuuichirou washed his hands silently, staring down at his hands under the running water before sighing deeply. "Just what the hell am I doing? I know that Akane-san said it's all right to accompany them but it just feels too weird..."

 _It also kind of feels like I'm interrupting something between them as well..._

Frowning a bit at himself, he turned the faucet off and took a tissue to dry his hands. He knew that he couldn't turn back anymore at this point since they were already seated. Although, there was the option of making up a half-ass excuse just to get away from all of that awkwardness but Yuuichirou knew that would be a very rude gesture, especially to someone new like Akane.

And yet, he couldn't help but have a heavy feeling in his chest the more the stayed there. He had seen this coming, but somewhere deep inside; there was this intuition that Mikaela had something that he wanted to witness. But was that enough to endure being in the presence of Mikaela's childhood friend and fiancée?

"... I should have refused the offer." He concluded as he threw the tissue away on the trash can and exited the restroom, but he stopped midway when he heard Mikaela's voice speaking up that had him holding in his breath.

"Akane, I want to talk about us."

―

Akane tilted her head when Mikaela said that he wanted to talk about their relationship and she twirled her fork aimlessly on her food, somewhat not liking where this was going. "If you're going to talk about us... Are you perhaps referring to our engagement, Mika?"

Mikaela jumped at the spot on topic and he blushed lightly. "I don't want to make it sound like it's not a big deal between you and me, but... I want to settle something between the both of us."

Akane fell silent at that and she silently urged for Mikaela to go on with a look.

"Akane..." Mikaela began as he sat up straight in his chair. "Are you happy with me?"

"Of course I am, Mika. You're practically what a lot of girls like to have as a mate. You have no idea how happy I was when we became this close." The omega answered honestly, smiling even before it faltered to a thin line. "Why do you ask?"

Mikaela glanced away as he thought of the right words to say. "I... I'm also happy being with you... But not in the way I assume you would think."

Akane let go of her fork so that she could face Mikaela straight on, her brows furrowing slightly. "... What do you mean?"

"I..." Mikaela took an inhale of air to calm himself down at what would come after what he would say. "I'm sorry that you have to hear me say this, but... Akane, I like you only as a little sister." His hands curled into fists on his lap as he continued, "Don't get me wrong. I really enjoy our time together in the past, and as a result, you're a very important friend to me until now. However, my feelings for you couldn't go any more than that of familial love even if our statuses are compatible to each other."

He paused for a bit to look at Akane to see if she was listening and understanding what he was saying. When he saw how engrossed she was to his words, he cautiously continued on. "It's not that I don't like you, Akane, but I believe that you deserve someone else better than me. You're a beautiful, kind, responsible and a smart girl, and as your friend, I don't want all of those special things of yours get wasted into something that is completely unrequited. You deserve a person who would reciprocate your feelings in kind... and I'm sorry if that person isn't me. Please forgive me."

Akane was quiet for a good moment, staring at Mikaela after his confession that Mikaela was beginning to dread that he did something bad. But after another minute or so, Akane was blinking and biting lightly on her bottom lip.

"O-Oh, I see..." She said, sniffling softly. "I... I kind of knew for a while now, Mika. If anything, I should be the one saying sorry."

Mikaela blinked in surprise. "... You, why?"

Akane looked away meekly as she scratched her cheek a bit with a finger. "Y-You see, I had a huge crush on you ever since we were still kids. So when we presented during middle school, I was excited and beyond happy to find out that I was an omega and you as an alpha. And from there, I began to do things to make you recognize me as a potential mate... However, I know that deep inside, I was just forcing something onto you without even asking for your thoughts."

The omega let out a small laugh that sounded sad and slightly bitter. "I was so selfish. I only wanted you for myself because you were the very first person who made me feel loved, made me feel special... But as a result, I tied you down in a relationship you didn't want from me because I love you too much, Mika. For that, I'm sorry... for not once considering your feelings over our engagement."

"Akane..."

Akane shook her head with a smile on her face as she raised her left hand to remove her engagement ring from her ring finger, her movements calm and collected even when she placed the golden metal band on the table. Mikaela watched her through it all and he was amazed that his friend managed it well despite her feelings for him. She would usually throw a tantrum and fight for what she love, but with how she took Mikaela's thoughts into consideration, it just showed how much Akane had matured over the years.

Mikaela couldn't be any more proud of her because of it, but it didn't stop the guilt eating him at the fact that he just hurt Akane's feelings and broke off something that the omega had ever dreamed of from the start. No words could express how much Mikaela was sorry for what he did, especially towards his childhood friend.

The best that he could do was to give an apology over and over again. "I'm sorry again, Akane. I'm really, really sorry."

"Don't be, Mika, it's all right. In fact, I'm grateful that you gave you were honest about our relationship." Akane admitted as she reached out for her wallet. "At least... I know what you're thinking of without you having to be such a martyr about it."

Mikaela blushed in embarrassment but he smiled nonetheless when Akane giggled cheerfully.

"We'll still stay in touch, though, right? So that I could check on you every now and then... if you don't mind, that is." Akane suggested while slipping a few bank notes on the table as payment for her food.

"Of course, Akane. I would love to." Mikaela said with his eyes shining in agreement.

"I'm glad." She sighed in relief with a nod as she took out her phone to check it. "Oh, my... Papa just texted me to come back. He must've found out that I broke my curfew..."

Akane made an annoyed sound before she gave Mikaela an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Mika, but I got to get my ass moving or else Papa will give me an earful again... And you know how much Papa's sermons are so long."

"I understand, Akane. I'll tell Yuu-chan of your urgent matter."

"Thanks, Mika." Akane said appreciatively as she stood up from her seat. "I wished we could talk more, but I guess now isn't the time. It was nice seeing you, though, and I wish you the best of luck in finding your mate."

"I could say the same thing to you too."

Akane beamed brightly at that and she began to walk away from the cafe, waving a hand to the alpha while doing so. "See you later, Mika. I hope we can see each other again in Japan."

Mikaela returned her gesture with his own hand, watching Akane leaving before he lowered his hand and glanced across the table where an untouched plate of Napolitan and a glass of melon soda stood.

―

Mikaela wasn't surprised when Yuuichirou came back with a dejected look on his face. He waited patiently and quietly for something to happen and all he got was a simple word from the beta.

"... Idiot."

Mikaela's lips curled into a smile as his hand sought for Yuuichirou's under the table and he laced their fingers together in a comforting hold.

"Maybe so..." The alpha agreed. "But, this is the best option I could think of without having to give Akane a mental breakdown. She's a valued friend of mine, and as such, she deserves a proper closure."

Yuuichirou smiled warmly at that and he slightly tugged Mikaela close so that he could rest his head on the alpha's shoulder, purring contently. "You're such a gentleman, Mika. Sometimes I wonder if I'm even worthy to have you..."

"Oh? Do you want a demonstration, Yuu-chan?" Mikaela asked suggestively as he used his thumb to rub circles at the back of Yuuichirou's palm.

Yuuichirou immediately flushed at the implication and he lightly stomped on Mikaela's foot underneath the table, earning him a soft hiss from the alpha. "P-Pervert, not in public, jeez..."

Mikaela laughed at how Yuuichirou was easily embarrassed and he turned around to give Yuuichirou's head a kiss. He was just too adorable that way.

* * *

Akane panted and gasped as she came to a halt from her running. Her lungs burned from the lack of sufficient oxygen, more so when she was crying. She took in shaky breaths of air to calm herself down as she walked in an almost staggering manner on the very familiar pavement of the Pont de Arts Bridge.

She grasped a random wire fence to hold on to as she dialed the one person she could easily open up to.

"Akane, dear? Is that you?"

"Papa..."

"Oh, Akane. Are you all right? How's Mika-kun there? Did you see him?"

"Yes, I saw him. He's fine, Papa... He even invited me over to lunch, but..." Akane's grip on the fence tightened as she pressed her head against it and gave a small hiccup with more tears falling from her eyes. "I'm not all right, Papa. I... I lost... I lost him."

Akane's father paused a bit on the line before he asked in a gentle tone. "... Akane, dear, what happened?"

"He... We... We talked about it, our engagement, Papa, and he..." Akane sniffled. "He told me that he only saw me as a little sister figure a-and that I deserve someone who would reciprocate my feelings in kind... I knew what he meant when he said that, but I just can't... I love him too much, Papa, and it hurts... It hurts so much..."

Akane inhaled deeply as she sobbed quietly against the fence, her whole body shaking from her cries and her cheeks staining with tears. Never had her chest felt so heavy, her heart so torn before over such simple yet powerful words. It was unbearable painful; to love someone so much for so long, only for them to never return your feelings.

Akane had suspected that Mikaela never liked her in that fashion for some time, but she didn't expect it to be this heartbreaking, causing her to spill more tears.

"Shh, calm down, my child. It's all right." Akane's father cooed, trying his best to calm his daughter. "From the way you speak… I see that the both of you mutually agreed to break off the engagement without any trouble?"

Akane's quiet cry answered it all.

"I see…" Akane's father sighed for a while on the line before he gently consoled his daughter on the phone. "Akane, sweetheart… When you come back, let's bake your favorite apple strudel together, yeah? Your face would always brighten up whenever we would bake those. Oh, and we could also make our homemade milkshake like always. How about it?"

"Papa…" The omega hiccupped as she sniffed.

"Mika-kun's a great man; that's a no brainer. However, he must have realized that your relationship together as what you are now wouldn't do the both of you good in the future… seeing how he only saw you as a sister figure instead of a lover." He said softly. "But, Akane, it isn't the end of the world. Mika-kun sees a great potential in you and he wishes you happiness just like I do. However, in turn, he thinks that there is someone else more worthy to take your hand other than him."

Akane sniveled as she listened and let go of the wired fence to wipe away her tears with the sleeve of her free hand. "He didn't mean to hurt you, my dear… He wanted to give you the chance to start all over again and to find someone who will love you back. It's everyone's dream to have a perfect relationship, after all. He wanted you to experience it firsthand."

"Y-Yes, Papa... I… I finally understand that now." The omega nodded her head, sniffling as a smile slowly formed on her lips. Her brown eyes looked over the horizon of the sea and sky as the wind blew on her, causing her cheeks to be crusted with dried tears and her hair strands to sway with it. "I've been so fixated on having Mika as my mate this whole time that I didn't even see what opportunities could have been opened up for me… I was missing out on so many things as a result, but thanks to Mika and you… I now realize what I've been doing wrong. I've never been so grateful to have the both of you."

Akane's father smiled, pleasant at how his daughter noticed her mistakes and learn from them; it was enough for him to be reassured that Akane was growing into a very fine lady. He had never been so proud.

"I'll be waiting for your return. Please stay safe there."

"I will, Papa… Thank you." Akane dismissed before she clicked on her phone to end the call.

She tilt her head up to inhale some air once again before she switched her phone with an elegant lock baring the initials 'M + A' on it followed by a date that Akane knew so well. It was when she and Mikaela had their first official date, after all. It was a memorable event.

But now, that memorable event would be engraved forever in her heart instead of a lock, and with one final look, she threw the metal over to the river as she hold the key to it close to her chest. It may take a while for her to go over the pain of her heartbreak, but deep inside, she knew that the experience made her much stronger, wiser.

 _Someday…_ Akane promised, her hand clenching on the key tightening. _I'm going to find that someone, Mika. I wouldn't let this chance pass me by._

Akane promised as she watched the lock gradually disappearing within the water, bringing with it her unrequited feelings for the man she had always loved since childhood while she wished that the both of them may find happiness in the future.

 _Goodbye for now, Mika._


	24. Acceptance

**Chapter 24: Acceptance**

After the seemingly late lunch and Akane's abrupt farewell, Yuuichirou and Mikaela came back to the mansion with their hands entwined together and with smiles on their lips as they both serenely enjoy the company of one another despite the lack of words in between. Although there were still traces of guilt from what transpired but there were able to find some form of peace from it as well, their thoughts synchronizing in harmony even as reached the entrance of the mansion and were greeted by two adults looking at them expectantly.

"You were awfully late, Yuu." Guren's deep voice caught the attention of the children who jumped in surprise. "If this country was Japan, I would have whacked you for breaking curfew."

Both boys flushed in embarrassment and they swiftly snatched their hands back from each other while they faced their parents.

"D-Dad, this is―"

"This wasn't what it looks―"

"―Same for you as well, Mika." Krul interrupted as she scolded her son, giving the blond alpha a look (which effectively shut him up) but only briefly as she stared at both boys squarely. "But we aren't here right now to scold the both of you… In fact, we want to discuss some personal matters and we need the two of you present."

Yuuichirou and Mikaela blinked in confusion at Krul's sudden demand but they both mutually agreed to hear what she – or rather, their parents – have to say to the both of them with a nod.

"Okay… but may I ask what you what to talk about?" Mikaela asked bravely as Guren and Krul led both the children into the living room.

"It's simple, Mikaela-kun." Guren answered as he freely took a seat on the plush, violet couch. "We are all going to have a little history lesson here as well as some arrangements, and I don't want you to pull yet another tantrum like what happened this morning in the middle of it."

Mikaela pursed his lips, brows furrowing at the scolding but he didn't dare to make a comeback as he took a seat on another couch across Guren with Yuuichirou sitting beside him. Once everyone was seated, Guren took the initiative to lead the conversation with Krul's approval.

"With a lot of things happening here and there, I'm sure the both of you were wondering about the cause of everything so I'll cut to the chase." Guren said sharply, turning to the blond alpha. "So, for starters… How much do you know about Yuu's past, Mikaela-kun?"

"Not so much…" Mikaela answered honestly. "I'm not the kind to pry into Yuu-chan's past unless he willingly shares it, but so far, all I knew was that you and my uncle used to be friends, Yuu-chan used to be an omega, my uncle… violated Yuu-chan as a form of revenge and Yuu-chan's mother died protecting you from a gunshot."

"… But that isn't all there is to it, isn't?" The older beta deduced which made Mikaela flinch like he was caught. "From the way you reacted in what was probably your father's name this morning meant there are other things as well... and you act rather calm for an alpha despite realizing that my son used to be an omega in the past. Haven't you wondered about how on earth did Yuu become a beta in the first place?"

"O-Of course I was. It's all of my uncle's work, after all." The blond defended, his scent turning a bit agitated. "He created a drug that forced Yuu-chan into heat every day for two straight months, which in turn resulted into Yuu-chan's hormones to become abnormal given with how long he was exposed to it. The only way to stabilize it is by―"

"―Flushing out the drug with the use of a specialized dextrose." Guren continued as a smirk formed on his lips. "So you knew that part as well, huh? I guess there's no holding back now. Krul, if you may…" He turned to Krul with a gentle look on his face to encourage the omega beside him to talk about their past.

Krul inhaled a deep breath before she looked at the two boys in front of her, her face serious. "Mika, Yuu… Remember what I said this morning about how this is all my mistake? Well… Allow me to explain it for you. You see, I used to be a student in Tokyo University Medicine School with both Guren and Ferid-nii, and I had a crush on your father back then, Mika."

"… A crush on dad?" Mikaela repeated in wonder.

"Yes." The omega said with a fond smile. "Your father was a very kind man and he doesn't hesitate to reach out to other people who needed help. He's pretty much like you, my dear, but unlike you, he abandoned me after I told him that I was pregnant with you."

"B-But how?" The alpha countered with a skeptic look forming on his face. "How did you get pregnant with me, mom?"

Krul glanced at Guren from the corner of her eye and Guren nodded for her to continue. "It was in a casual celebration of a simple get together of our batch when I got pregnant with you, Mika. At that time, Guren was personally requested by your uncle to watch over me if anything were to happen, but as young adults as we were back then, we wanted to get a little bit wild and enjoy our lives like there was no tomorrow. So I told Guren to have his share of fun in the party whilst also telling him that I don't need a bodyguard since I'm capable of handling myself… That was until I got very drunk."

The pink-haired omega pursed her lips before she continued.

"Due to how I was greatly under the influence of alcohol, I wasn't paying much attention to my surroundings or to the people I talk to. I just… went by the crowd until I passed out… Then the next thing I knew was that I was in a bed, naked and no longer a virgin." Krul explained as she hung her head low and her eyes started to glisten. "Guren and a few others knew about what happened to me and I pleaded for them to keep it a secret from Ferid-nii, but unfortunately, the rumors of it reached him and he confronted both me and Guren about the matter; blaming Guren for not protecting me enough."

Krul gave a small laugh as her hands fisted down on her skirt. "I tried to tell your uncle that Guren wasn't at fault since I did tell him to go and enjoy himself, but no matter how many times I attempted to defend Guren, Ferid-nii kept on insisting that Guren was the one responsible. It wasn't fair on Guren's part…especially when he was experiencing troubles in between him and the Emperor's family as well as the election for Prime Minister during that time."

"I… I didn't know that…" Yuuichirou muttered softly.

"Well, it's for the best, Yuu." Krul said as she looked up to the raven beta with a forlorn look. "Guren and I thought and mutually agreed to never bring any of these up because we fear that our past would affect you and your futures, and yet my brother had to go through his way and did… _that_ to you. If I had known earlier, you would still be…"

"Krul, that's enough." Guren quietly requested which made Krul purse her lips. "What happened to Yuu was solely my own fault; it had nothing to do with you."

"It had everything to do with me, Guren…!" The omega snapped with her head turned on to Guren with a disapproving frown while tears leaking out of her eyes. "If I had stopped my brother from doing those things, then Yuu wouldn't need to suffer. It was my fault."

"No, it wasn't." Guren said firmly. "I was the one who thought that Bathory deserved a second chance. It was my choice as to why he met Yuu as a child; it was my choice to let him know my family freely. If I had known that he would do those things to Yuu, then Yuu would still be an omega right now and that his mother would still be alive. You're not the only one to blame here."

"… Guren,"

Guren sighed heavily as he slouched on the couch and looked at their children across them. "So, now you know why Bathory is bat shit crazy about getting revenge out of me. That was just how deep his… feelings for Krul was."

"... So I've heard." Mikaela agreed with a hum, appearing calm despite seeking for Yuuichirou's hand beside him to hold for comfort which the beta squeezed in return. "That actually makes a lot of sense as to why my uncle was acting so strange… but what I don't understand is as to why he is still obsessed with Yuu-chan."

"Oh, that? The reason is pretty simple." The older beta said. "It's because Yuu, himself, is an omega. That's all."

Mikaela gave Guren a weird look that spoke of disbelief and incomprehension. "... What? All because of that?"

"Mmhmm…" The beta hummed, nodding. "I'm sure you heard things about alphas being, not only obsessed with their omegas, but also possessive as well. With how long Bathory had Yuu to himself for two months, it was no wonder he became like that until now… most especially when an omega is very much fertile."

Mikaela held his breath when he heard that and he squeezed Yuuichirou's hand harder at the thought that Yuuichirou was actually a fertile omega once, and the alpha in him wanted to rage at the loss of a potential mate. But his rage was easily calmed down when he felt a soothing tinge of something coming in his mind, relaxing him. He immediately noted that Yuuichirou was trying to appease him even if the other was just as disturbed about the reveal as well.

"I see…" Mikaela trailed off before he realized one thing. "Wait… How did you find out that Yuu-chan was fertile, Guren-san? Does it have something to do with Yuu-chan's hormones becoming imbalanced?"

"... Yes." Guren gave the blond alpha a crooked smile. "If I was told correctly, you were an intern in a hospital before all of this happened, right? You should be familiar with something like this."

"I do, yes, but only rarely. Cases such as this ones aren't usually seen by most people since it's a rather sensitive subject, so it comes to me as a surprise when I… or rather, Yuu-chan showed me his past, and something caught my attention." Mikaela explained in full understanding as he straightened up from his seat. "Guren-san, pardon me for being rude but I have to know… Were you, perhaps, responsible for turning Yuu-chan into a beta as well?"

Krul made a small gasp in the background and she turned to Guren with a frantic expression. "G-Guren, you did what?"

"I am, there's no denying that." Guren answered with no restrain, ignoring Krul's confusion. "It was a now-or-never situation at that time, and my options were limited now that I'm the Prime Minister. Truthfully, I never wanted Yuu to undergo such treatments but as his father, I want him to live a life of happiness and freedom. How could I achieve that when he goes in heat everyday?"

"There are suppressants…"

"Suppressants won't cut it, Mikaela-kun. You're dealing with a complicated drug that acts both as a suppressant AND a contraceptive. Don't you know how heavy that kind of drug does to Yuu's body, in two straight months?" The older beta asked sternly which caused Mikaela to shut his mouth. "The only way I could remove it out of Yuu's system was to have him go through a treatment where the dosages are flushed out using a specialized dextrose that restarts everything… and that includes his status as an omega."

"G-Guren, that's… that's outrageous!" Krul shrieked. "I understand that you're trying to spare Yuu, your son, from the suffering but going so far as to restart his status? That's scandalous!"

"I'm aware of that, Krul. Even Yuu knows that as well and a few others..." Guren sighed. "I admit it was kind of inhuman for me to do that but it was my only option to give Yuu a good life… as his father and sole parent. That's just how much I love him."

"But if this is revealed to the public, you'll be…"

"That's not a problem, Krul. I was actually planning to give my seat away to Yuu some time soon when he is ready." The Prime Minister countered as he looked at Yuuichirou from across them, a small smile curving on his lips. "And after what happened now, I'm pretty sure Yuu is more than ready to take my place as Prime Minister… even if his first world meeting went pretty chaotic on the very first try."

Yuuichirou gave his father a slightly sour look on his face and he whined. "Dad…"

"But I think he can manage… if he is matched with a suitable mate who will keep him in line."

At the sound of the word 'mate', both Yuuichirou and Mikaela blushed red and they looked down with guilt on their faces when Guren and Krul looked at them knowingly.

"But Dad, I'm… I'm engaged to Shinoa." Yuuichirou murmured. "I can't just break our engagement like it was nothing. I mean, Shinoa is the daughter of the Emperor of Japan, and… what about strengthening the Ichinose-Hiiragi family ties?"

Guren looked at his son for a while before smiling gently at him. "Shinoa will understand, Yuu. After all, she just wants to see you happy. The reason why I chose her as your fiancee was because she was one of the many few who knew what happened to you and she promised to keep your secret hidden for as long as she lives."

Yuuichirou gave his father a look of surprise. "... Is that the only reason why you chose her?"

"And also because she's your playmate." Guren continued. "You obviously wouldn't want anyone who you weren't familiar with, hence why Shinoa was a safe choice. Therefore, you got those things and the possibility of strengthening the Ichinose-Hiiragi family ties as a bonus. But I think the family ties are already strong enough with how Shinya and I are working together."

"R-Really? Then that means..."

"Do I have to say it out loud for you, Mikaela-kun's savior?" Guren snickered with a smirk which just made Yuuichirou blush even harder at the nickname. "Hell, even Krul here approves of your relationship as she won't stop telling me how you and Mikaela-kun were so sweet in her fashion show."

Mikaela gasped at that and he sent an accusing look at his mother. "Mother…!"

Krul giggled with a wink as she wiped away her remaining tears. "But it's the truth, Mika. A mother knows her child inside, out, after all… and I received a text from Akane that you two broke up?"

"T-That's, uhm…"

"Even better." Guren immediately said that earned him a nudge on his side by Krul.

"I'm sorry about that, but are you sure it's okay for you?" Krul asked her son gently. "Akane is a good person but she doesn't stand down easily, you know."

"I know. We grew up together so I expected her to react that way, but she took it surprisingly well." Mikaela said with a hint of smile in his voice. "She has matured, Mom."

"I'm glad." The omega smiled as she looked at both Yuuichirou and Mikaela. "Well, then… If there aren't anymore problems to address with, I'll happily accept your relationship with Yuu if you so desire to wed him."

"W-W-Wed him?!" Mikaela said a loud. "B-But I have to court him first…!"

"Y-Yeah…!" Yuuichirou agreed with a ferocious nod, but he was clearly embarrassed as Mikaela. "I-It's common courtesy for a man to court someone if they wish to be married. A-And Mika has to… you know… court me!"

"Oh, really?" Guren raised a brow with a teasing tone in his voice. "It's been a month since the two of you got together. Are you sure that isn't enough for Mikaela-kun to court you, Yuu?"

Yuuichirou could have sworn his face was completely red by now that it reached even to his ears as he tried to defend himself. "W-Well, yes, b-but still, I'm…"

"Do you…" Mikaela began as he gently squeezed Yuuichirou's hand again. "Do you want me to court you again, Yuu-chan? I… I don't mind if it's all right with you."

 _Are you kidding me?! I'm more than happy_ ―

"Uh, m-maybe, I mean, we did it once even if it was basically living under the same roof s-so it shouldn't be a problem if you want to c-court me... again." Yuuichirou stuttered in a frenzy as he tried to keep his mental thought in check at just how happy he was to have Mikaela court him. He could feel his heart pounding so hard in his chest that he could have sworn it would burst anytime soon if he wasn't calmed down in time.

"Why so shy, Yuu? Did something happened between the two of you when you were in hiding?" Guren asked in suspicion as he watched his son get abashed right before his eyes.

At the question being asked, Yuuichirou's mind immediately conjured up the moments where Mikaela was in rut and he shook his head despite his face saying otherwise. "N-No, of course not! We were perfectly fine!" He laughed sheepishly but he could tell that his father knew something was up when he went in denial, and he was thankful enough that Guren decided to let it slide with a hum of interest.

"So there shouldn't be anything wrong in having Mikaela-kun court you, right?" The Prime Minister concluded, smirking at his son's defeat before he looked at the blond alpha beside him. "It's a tad bit early for me to say this, but you have my blessings. Take good care of Yuu or I'll slice you to ribbons."

"I as well." Krul added as she looked at both Yuuichirou and Mikaela. "Keep each other safe and happy. Marriage life has its own ups and downs but I know that the two of you can pull it off with how much you love each other. I have my complete faith in the both of you."

Yuuichirou and Mikaela stared at their parents for a while as they took in the blessings that were given to them before they faced each other and smiled lovingly to one another, holding their hands in a genuine hold that spoke of love as they have now begin to write yet another chapter in their lives together not as two strangers trying to help each other, but now as lovers.


	25. Till Death Do Us Part

**Chapter 25: Till Death Do Us Part**

 **TWO MONTHS LATER**

Yuuichirou put his hands together in a prayer-like gesture as he paced around back and forth in uncertainty. His silk white kimono with red and black accents dragged along on the wooden floor of his chambers as he fretted at the huge event that would take place in this very traditional Japanese mansion of the Ichinose's in Nagoya. He bit on his bottom lip while he waited and waited, his heartbeat increasing in each second and making his playmate giggle at him behind his back.

"Yuu, relax, please. It's not nice for the bride to be anxious during the wedding." Shinoa reassured with a smile as she fixed her own clothes meant for the bridesmaids. "They say it brings bad luck, you know."

"Shh, Shinoa, I… I'm getting a hold of myself, okay?" Yuuichirou blurted out as he inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to quell his nerves down while he walked.

"It'll be fine. There's nothing to worry about since you two love each other so much."

"I know, but still…"

"Is it because it's Mika-san?"

Yuuichirou stopped on his tracks as he slowly turned his head to give Shinoa a sigh followed by a silent nod.

"Oh, Yuu…" The omega cooed as she opened her arms and hugged the raven beta firmly whilst emitting a calming scent. "You're going to be okay. You've been with him for… how long now and you're feeling like this? Pfft, you're unbelievable."

Yuuichirou rolled his eyes as he patted Shinoa's head, acknowledging the omega's (strange) way of calming him down even if it didn't really do anything to ease his raging stress. "Shi, please…"

"What? I'm just saying the truth." Shinoa pointed out with a pout. "You're being worried over for nothing, Yuu. It's quite funny. I mean, you got the blessings of both parents, arranged the whole event, prepared the reception, invited people with no shame and you're worried about your soon-to-be husband? Oh, what a pure maiden heart you have, being anxious at how Mika-san will look at you at your wedding~"

Yuuichirou's face immediately flushed red in embarrassment and he grunted as he tried to tug Shinoa away, but Shinoa just held on tighter, giggling while she nuzzled on Yuuichirou's chest fondly like when they were still kids. The action warmed Yuuichirou's heart but the fact that Shinoa was spreading her scent around him made him pat at her back urgently, fearing that her scent might stick on him.

"Shi..."

"You're so cute~" Shinoa cooed as she reached up and pinched Yuuichirou's cheeks, earning a small wince from the beta.

"Shinoa, stop..."

"You're also squishy too~" The omega then began to squeeze and rub on Yuuichirou's cheeks despite the warning.

"Shinoa, please stop..."

"Not to mention so warm~"

Yuuichirou frowned though his tone held no bite while he lightly scolded the petite omega. "Shinoa, this isn't necessary."

Shinoa giggled as she finally let go of Yuuichirou and flashed him an impish grin. "But you've calm down now, right?"

Yuuichirou blinked for a moment as his hand reached out to his chest to feel his heart. True to what Shinoa said, Yuuichirou's heart was now calm and steady back to his usual heartbeat. His eyes sparkled in child-like amazement.

"Woah..."

"Nothing but a good, ol' trick made from the beautiful moi for such a major occasion like this~" Shinoa laughed before she reached out to rub Yuuichirou's head. "Well, lover boy, it's time for us to get going. Stand tall and marry that pretty man. Knock him from his feet~!"

Yuuichirou chuckled at Shinoa's choice of words as he felt something being placed on his head. It took him a moment to realize that it was the veil - his veil - being put on him by his playmate who fixed it with gentle yet swift touches and he idly wondered if Shinoa did these things in preparation for their supposed wedding.

"... Hey, Shi,"

"Hmm?"

"I know that you've answered this question a lot of times already, but... Are you okay with us not fulfilling our engagement?" Yuuichirou asked while waiting patiently for Shinoa to finish. "We - Our families - could benefit a lot from the both of us getting married."

"True, but I doubt you would want that kind of marriage, Yuu." Shinoa said, continuing her task at hand. "You were an omega before, and just like any other omegas, we dream of becoming the mate of someone who would love us and treat us dearly for the rest of our lives. It goes without saying for the both of us since we are childhood friends, but..." She sighed softly. "I know that you don't see me that way. I mean, you weren't exactly my type to begin with – no offense – and I did annoy you a hell lot before you - _that_ happened and, well..."

The way Shinoa trailed off with a hesitant voice made Yuuichirou look at her in awe once the veil was in place. He saw how sadness and a different kind of regret was shown in her amber eyes before they were closed to make way to a smile, surprising the beta.

"Let's... just say that I want you to be happy and loved after all the bad things that occurred to you. You deserve it, Yuu. If Mika-san is the one to give you those... Then who am I to stop you?" Shinoa said with a wink as her hand cupped Yuuichirou's cheek fondly. "I'm glad for you and I wish you the best in your marriage life. I'll always be here if you need anything at all. I'll support you until the end."

"... Shinoa." Yuuichirou whispered as his eyes glazed and his lips quivered, struggling to form a grateful smile of his playmate's support without tearing up. But unfortunately, in the end, his cheeks were stained with tears slowly falling from his eyes as he all but give Shinoa a wide smile as he proudly say, "Thank you."

"Now, now, no bride cries themselves before the actual wedding, Yuu. Mika-san might think you don't want to marry him." Shinoa chuckled lightly as she reached up and used her sleeve to wipe Yuuichirou's tears away.

"Shut up... You're reason why I'm crying so much now." Yuuichirou grumbled in between soft sobs.

Shinoa hummed in acceptance as she quickly grabbed the makeup kit to add some foundation and powder to cover Yuuichirou's tear stained face before she led him to the outside where Mikaela and the others were waiting.

* * *

"Ah, young love. It's beautiful, isn't it, Prime Minister?"

Guren's eyes widened in recognition and he turned towards the one who addressed him, his face instantly souring into a frown when he saw his friend in the black hakama suited for the wedding. He huffed. "Shut up, Shinya."

"Aw, don't be like that." Shinya cheered as he casually draped his arm around Guren with a smile. "I know you're happy for your son being married to a person of his liking. It's been awhile since I've seen him smile so freely." Blue eyes looked expectantly at the beta. "Don't you agree?"

Guren was silent for a moment before a small smile formed on his lips briefly. "... The answer to that should be obvious."

The albino alpha snickered as he nuzzled his cheek against Guren's, purring. "You're such a papa wolf, you know that?"

"Fuck off." Guren scoffed as he brushed Shinya away. He wouldn't outright admit it to, but he was indeed happy for Yuuichirou for finding someone to spend his life with despite the past troubling him in his growing years. More so when said partner was none other than Krul's child who loved Yuuichirou so much regardless of their statuses. Guren couldn't be any more relieved than that since he knew by heart that his son was now in safe hands.

Guren couldn't help sighing softly in relief as his eyes wandered around them, smiling at the numerous visitors - family and friends alike - gathering around for the wondrous ceremony about to happen. The clear weather and the newly bloomed cherry blossom trees surrounding the shrine made it even more beautiful and grand. Guren would have to thank Krul later for suggesting that the wedding should be held during springtime.

"Ah, speaking of…" Shinya's voice brought Guren out of his thoughts and he was greeted with the sight of Yuuichirou and Mikaela meeting each other and their cheeks turned pink for a while later as they shyly looked away. "They're so cute. They've only seen each other with the traditional robes on and they become shy with each other."

Shinya snickered as he turned towards Guren with a grin. "They really are in love, huh?"

Guren rolled his eyes away as he pretended that he didn't see anything. "... More, or less."

The alpha's grin widened at Guren's answer and he took one of Guren's arms onto his, patting said arm. "Well, well, we should at least say a few words to the bride and groom for today. Maybe some wise advice from a parent?"

"Do whatever you like." Guren grunted as he was lazily tugged to follow Shinya. He didn't even try to fight the alpha as they were eventually led to Mikaela and Yuuichirou.

"Hey, you two lovebirds." Shinya greeted shamelessly which made the blushes of Mikaela and Yuuichirou to brighten.

"S-Shinya-san." Yuuichirou greeted as he bowed slightly in respect. Mikaela followed the same action soon after. "I'm happy you could make it."

Shinya chuckled. "Of course I could. My godchild is getting married, how can I _not_ attend such an important event? I'm going to get a lot of wonderful pictures."

He let go of Guren's arm in favor of hugging Yuuichirou, surprising the younger beta a bit because of the small squeak he made. After a moment, Yuuichirou hugged Shinya back, even patting his back lightly when he felt him trembling slightly against him.

"Shinya-san, are you… crying?" Yuuichirou asked when he heard soft sniffs beside him.

"Ah, indeed I am..." Shinya admitted as he pulled back from the hug with a few tears falling down his face with a crooked smile on his lips. "Time really passes by and you grew up fast. It's kind of hard to let you go, you know…"

Yuuichirou blinked for a bit to take everything in before a smile curled on his face. He patted Shinya's shoulders lightly with a few chuckles escaping his lips. "Jeez, I won't be gone forever, and you can call and visit me anytime. You're being a bit over dramatic…"

Shinya then gave a fake wail and tears that immediately had Yuuichirou patting and reassuring the older alpha the best he could. The pale-haired alpha looked so childish like that that Guren had the urge to drag him away from his son so that Mikaela could have some time to be with Yuuichirou before the ceremony. But, as his violet eyes glanced at the blond beside him, he was mildly surprised to see Mikaela smiling as he watched Yuuichirou and Shinya.

"They're close. I can tell just by looking at Yuu-chan." The blond commented with a small chuckle before he turned to face Guren - his future father-in-law - with a smile. "Am I right, Guren-san?"

Guren rolled his eyes.

"That much is obvious. Shinya isn't even trying to hide it to anyone witnessing this." The older beta sighed as he raised a hand to scratch his nape a bit, causing Mikaela to chuckle.

"I think it's just natural for Shinya-san to act like that since he is a part of Yuu-chan's childhood." The blond alpha softly said whilst giving a fond expression over to Yuuichirou's direction. "He is a part of his life…"

At this point, Guren caught a small whiff of a pleasing smell coming off from Mikaela and he immediately picked how much happiness surrounded the young alpha regarding his future mate. He could even see Mikaela's blue eyes shining with love, and the older beta couldn't help but see a tiny glimpse of Shinya in Mikaela which softened his expression towards his future son-in-law.

 _He's very similar to him..._

Guren huffed out a sigh as he lifted a hand up to rub Mikaela on the head, catching the young alpha's attention.

"And soon, you'll be a part of that life too... for as long as you two will live." He said with a lopsided smile that mirrored Yuuichirou's so much. "I'm counting on you to be there for him no matter what the circumstances. Support him when he needs it, comfort him when he feels sad, and most of all..." Guren paused as he slowly retracted his hand from Mika as he said, "Continue to love and be happy with him as you both go with your future together. Do you understand, soon-to-be Ichinose?"

Blue eyes widened a bit and the alpha was rendered speechless for a moment. Mikaela could feel his heart pounding within his chest because of the nickname as well as the elation surging through him for the amount of trust Guren gave to him. It was a complete honor for Mikaela to gain such despite how everything was messed up because of Ferid's doing.

Mikaela couldn't be any more blessed for at this very moment.

"I will, Guren-san." Mikaela promised. "I will definitely fulfill those and make Yuu-chan the happiest person alive. You have my word."

Guren chuckled. "I look forward to it."

They shared a few laughs before a warm hand curled itself on Guren's sleeve and tugged on it gently. Guren looked around to see Shinya on his arm, embracing it.

"Its time." He simply said as Yuuichirou joined them.

"Right." Guren nodded before he faced the two young men before him. "Well, this is it. Don't forget what you have both rehearsed for this day. We don't want any embarrassing things happening on such a special moment, after all."

"Dad..." Yuuichirou whined with his cheeks pink and puffed out in embarrassment.

"I'm just kidding, jeez." The older beta laughed as he flicked a finger on Yuuichirou's head. "Best of luck, Yuu, Mika."

"Will do." Mikaela agreed, smiling as he took Yuuichirou's hand on his own and entwined their fingers together. "Let's go, Yuu-chan. The shrine priest and maidens are waiting for us."

"Y-Yeah, okay..." Yuuichirou stuttered before he followed Mikaela over to the torii... but not before sticking his tongue over to Guren for hitting his head.

"He never changes." Shinya chuckled as he went closer to Guren so that he could nuzzle up to him. "They're going to have a long future ahead of them... just like you and me."

"... You sound like we're married." Guren murmured.

"Aren't we?"

"Kind of..." The beta corrected himself as a small blush dusted his cheeks. "If you being my mate isn't any indication..."

"Oh, you..." Shinya reached out and pinched at Guren's cheek lightly. "We'll settle this later. For now, we have a wedding to attend to. We don't want to miss it in the world, shall we?"

Guren smirked. "Lead the way, then."

* * *

As following the traditions of a Shinto wedding, Yuuichirou and Mikaela performed a walk going to the shrine that was led by a group of Shinto acolytes who blew on wind instruments along the way. Yuuichirou couldn't help but feel his heart beating in his chest simply because this moment was finally happening. In each step that he took to the shrine, he could feel excitement and anticipation flowing through his body of what was going to happen once he and Mikaela go in the shrine to perform their wedding ceremony.

A lot of people would also be watching, and that just fueled Yuuichirou's nerves.

 _Calm down, Yuu. Everything is going to be okay; just calm down…_

Yuuichirou slowly took a deep breath to relax himself. He was so much into his thoughts that he hadn't realized that they already reached the entrance of the shrine where he and Mikaela were welcomed to enter for their ceremony. Yuuichirou made a small frown to himself as if to scold him for thinking too much, thankful that nobody saw his expression.

Once the walk was done, both of them bowed before being permitted to enter and to be guided by the acolytes to where they would be – which would be the two cushions positioned before the altar of the gods with their respective family members seated at the sides. It almost looked daunting since both of their parents were present along with their relatives and friends, and Yuuichirou pursed his lips slightly as his nerves were acting up again. He did his best not to show it as he and Mikaela approached to their assigned cushions, yet that did nothing to how he simply squirm on his hunches once he was seated down.

His hands curled into fists on his lap and his head was bowed down a bit as if to hide from the eyes of the audience. But almost immediately, a warm hand coming from his side overlapped his and Yuuichirou lifted his head to see Mikaela smiling gently at him.

"I got you." Was what Mikaela simply whispered before he pulled away his hand, straightening his back a bit more to show some confidence into him.

Yuuichirou was stunned for a moment before he returned Mikaela's smile and nodded his head with a small, "Yeah…" before the sound suzu bells were heard – signaling the entrance of the Shinto priest in-charge with their wedding. Once settled on the center of the altar, the priest bowed down towards the couple as a sign of acknowledgement before turning on his back to bow down before the altar as a sign of respect.

"We are all gathered here today for the wedding between Mikaela Tepes and Yuuichirou Ichinose, and therefore, joining the two family households present here on this very shrine." The priest announced before a shrine maiden approached him with a scroll that he opened. "Oh, great deities of the heavens, I pray that this very moment before you, that we kindly ask for your blessings of protection and grace of this couple in their marriage. May they live their lives well together and may their love continue to grow and nurture."

The priest rolled up the scroll and hand it over to the shrine maiden beside him as he turned back again into facing Mikaela and Yuuichirou, raising his hand a bit. "May the ceremony begin."

Upon the priest's consent, two shrine maidens enter the altar and brought up a small table where three sake cups were present; each one with a different size. A shrine maiden took the smaller cup and presented it to Mikaela who promptly took it from her before the second shrine maiden held out a specialized teapot to pour sake on the cup.

Mikaela slowly took sips of it until it was finished, giving it back to the shrine maiden who gave it to him. The very same shrine maiden then gave said cup to Yuuichirou and repeated the same steps. They did it two more times in the different cups provided that followed the traditional process of the ceremony.

Once the exchanging of cups was complete, the shrine maidens then took back the small table and sake cups, exchanging it with another table with a comb and a cloth. The sight of it already told Yuuichirou and Mikaela to stand up as Yuuichirou gently wrapped the comb with the cloth provided, holding the item in his heart before bowing for a prayer before the altar.

 _I pray that we'll make it through good and bad times, and that we would have many blessings between our two families._

Smiling, Yuuichirou then faced Mikaela once his prayer was down and presented the wrapped item to him. Mikaela then overlapped Yuuichirou's hands with his own, accepting the item whilst he slowly took it from Yuuichirou's hands and placed it back on the table, prompting the both of them to bow once it was settled.

Once that was done, a shrine maiden presented Mikaela a scroll – entitled 'Vow' – that he would read towards the gods regarding his marriage with Yuuichirou. He obediently opened it and leaned close to Yuuichirou for him to see what was written on it as well.

"On this great day, before the great Shinto god…" Mikaela began to read out. "We are sincerely thankful for this ceremony. Going forward, we will love each other, trust one another, share the good times and the bad, and swear that this will stay unchanged throughout our lifetime. 20xx, xx xx. Husband, Mikaela Tepes…"

"… Partner, Yuuichirou Ichinose." Yuuichirou added before Mikaela scrolled it back to place it on the table beside the wrapped comb before the altar.

Next, two shrine maidens present them a sasaki tree branch that they both took simultaneously by the branch. They bowed their heads on the branch for a moment before they rotate it on their hands so that the branch would face the altar as symbol for the gods to be aware of their thoughts and prayers once they placed it on the table. They looked up towards the altar before they both bow and clap their hands two times in a pattern for the gods to accept their offering of the branch.

With another step done, a shrine maiden approached the couple and bowed before them as she raised a small cushion containing two gold rings. As the groom of the wedding, Mikaela took one and gently held up Yuuichirou's left hands to put the ring on Yuuichirou's ring finger. The ring shined through the light as it settled on Yuuichirou's finger. The sight of it glossed Yuuichirou's eyes with unshed tears of happiness and he couldn't help the crooked smile forming on his lips as he took the other ring and did the same actions on Mikaela.

Yuuichirou looked up towards Mikaela with so much affection in his eyes that Mikaela returned with his own while gently squeezing on Yuuichirou's hand. The two stared at each other for a moment before the turned back to face the altar to bow one last time as a thankful gesture for the successful marriage ceremony.

However, despite the exchanging of rings being done, the ceremony wasn't over yet until one last process was made, and this caused Yuuichirou and Mikaela to seat back down on their cushions with shrine maidens providing them with sake cups that they poured another round of sake on their cups. However, this time, they were not alone anymore since the other shrine maidens also pour sake on the sake cups provided for the attendees in the ceremony. It took a while with how many were witnessing it, but all of the cups were filled nonetheless before the shrine priest held up his own sake cup with his voice brimming with happiness.

"Congratulations on your successful wedding."

"Congratulations." They all said at the same time before they drink their respective sake cups, indicating the end of the ceremony as the two families were joined.

With the ceremony now over, Mikaela and Yuuichirou were then led to the outside were they could finally enjoy the company of their family and friends, but most importantly, towards each other now that they were wedded. Yuuichirou didn't hesitate to reach out to grab Mikaela's arm and leaned up against him lovingly. It slightly surprised Mikaela but he nonetheless returned back the gesture with his own, chuckling softly.

"Man, I thought I'll miss something there. It's a good thing I remembered everything thoroughly." Mikaela giggled.

"I think I would've messed it up if I hadn't calmed down…" Yuuichirou murmured as he clung onto Mikaela more. "I might done something that could ruin everything…"

"Now, now, don't say that, Yuu-chan. You did well and that's what matters."

Yuuichirou chuckled a bit. "Yeah, you're right."

"Hey, hey, hey…!" A familiar voice squeaked which made Mikaela and Yuuichirou look behind them to see Shinoa grinning widely at them. "That was a fun wedding ceremony. Now, how about the wedding reception, hmm~?"

"S-Shinoa…!"

"My, quite the glutton you are, Shinoa." Mikaela giggled as he addressed the omega politely.

"Oh, how can I not? The menu that you chose looks delicious and the ceremony kind of made me hungry…" The petite omega confessed with a guilty sounding chuckle which made Yuuichirou give her a half-hearted glare.

"Really, Shinoa?"

"You can't really blame me now, can you? You're also hungry, aren't you, with all the worrying and stuff." She defended with a cat grin, and at that moment, Yuuichirou's stomach did growl, leaving him blushing in shame.

"S-Shut up, I—"

"It's okay, Yuu-chan. It's about time everyone goes to the wedding reception by now. It's essential in the wedding, after all."

At Mikaela's words, Yuuichirou pouted a bit before sighing in defeat.

"There's no helping it, I guess." He murmured softly for Mikaela to hear, but it seemed that Shinoa was able to hear it because she was cheering.

"Yay, yay, food~"

Yuuichirou grimaced. "Ugh, please keep quiet, Shinoa."

"No can do until you feed me~"

And Mikaela just laughed the entire time they were walking through the shrine and out to their reception.

* * *

"I'm thankful that the reception was big enough for the guests." Yuuichirou commented as he rubbed his damp hair with a towel after an evening shower. "There were more than I expected…"

"You _are_ the Prime Minister's son. It's only natural that you get a lot of visitors and patrons." Mikaela said as he relaxed down on the bed of their room in the Ichinose estate. It used to be Yuuichirou's room but now that they're married, Mikaela easily gained access to it.

"Hmm, you're right about that." Yuuichirou agreed before settling down on the bed beside his husband with his towel settled down on his shoulders. "Regardless, I'm just glad that everyone had a good time. It was… one of the best things that ever happened to me, you know."

"I couldn't agree more." The alpha confessed as he gently took Yuuichirou's left hand to kiss it before he added on, "Especially since I'm married to the person I ever loved."

"You, really…"

Yuuichirou blushed but he didn't do anything to remove his hand. His lack of protest encouraged Mikaela to proceed further with the flow going on. His hand unconsciously cupped on Yuuichirou's face with his thumb rubbing on soft skin for a moment before he slowly leaned in close to capture his lips.

Mikaela kissed Yuuichirou slowly, softly, almost like it was their first time kissing each other in such an intimate way. They have already shared tons of different kisses during their time in France but it seemed that they have forgotten about the feel of their lips against the other in this particular night. Yet, the sensation of the warm and tender touches of Mikaela's lips on Yuuichirou's never failed to make the beta sigh dreamily as he opened himself up to his newly wedded husband, accepting more of what Mikaela had to give and offer tonight.

Yuuichirou's arms made their way around the alpha where he returned the embrace with his own while he shifted comfortably on Mikaela's lap, never breaking the kiss in doing so. He felt Mikaela tug the towel down, followed by his outer coat that pooled to his elbows and Yuuichirou couldn't help shivering in anticipation. He sighed quietly when Mikaela pulled back slowly. He even felt a small, wet muscle poking out to lick his plush lips as if to taste him more despite the kiss that occurred between them.

To have someone - an alpha - like Mikaela want him so, so much regardless of his imperfections sent Yuuichirou's blood running hot in his veins and causing his love and desire for the other to soar; it made his heart feel big in his chest with so much happiness.

"Mika..." Yuuichirou whispered as his lidded eyes watched the blond's delicate movements, feeling kisses being peppered on his face, jaw and neck that made him slowly close his eyes in heavenly bliss.

Yuuichirou continued to hold on to Mikaela as his bathrobe was gradually unfastened and lowered to expose the creamy skin underneath. Yuuichirou bit on his bottom lip when he felt the cold air bite him but Mikaela was quick to warm him up just as fast as the cold came in, causing him to tremble most especially when Mikaela was nipping on the tender part of Yuuichirou's neck.

The one still sore from Ferid's bite.

 _... Ferid._

Almost immediately at the thought of the silver-haired alpha, Yuuichirou seized up as memories came flooding in and his hold on Mikaela turned into that of a vice grip whilst his breaths became shallow, rendering majority of Yuuichirou's lust to disappear because of it. His green eyes widen in a delusional frenzy and his ears picked up a ringing sound that muffled everything like he was underwater as he began to make small actions of wanting to push Mikaela away.

"... Yuu-chan?" Mikaela's voice called out in worry as to why his mate suddenly grew tense and he stopped what he was doing momentarily to look at Yuuichirou. "What's wrong?"

"I... I..." Yuuichirou inhaled shakily as he urged himself to calm down and tell himself that he wasn't with Ferid anymore and that he was safe.

But, no matter how many times his mind suppressed the horrific experience out to the point of forgetting it, his body wouldn't stop shaking in fear whenever it would come in contact with an alpha and it frustrated Yuuichirou to tears.

 _Damn it...!_

"Mika, I'm sorry. I―"

"Ssh, ssh..." Mikaela cooed gently, rubbing on Yuuichirou's sides while placing soothing kisses on Yuuichirou's face. "It's all right, Yuu-chan. It's all right. Ssh..." The alpha then cupped his beloved's face and let their foreheads touch together as he emitted his scent to put Yuuichirou at ease. "You're safe; no one is going to harm you. Don't cry, my love, I'm here. I'm here."

Yuuichirou sniffled as he let the tears flow out freely from his eyes and cried the more he smelled his lover's scent around him. He hugged on Mikaela tighter while his body shook from his sobs, flinching every now and then when the alpha's touches went to all too familiar places on his body to help him relax.

He knew that Mikaela was aware of his trauma but he couldn't help but lower his head in shame at his body's reactions for ruining the mood and make his lover worry. They were supposed to enjoy their wedding night and finally get to mate like proper couples do, but instead, Mikaela was comforting Yuuichirou like the other just woke up from a terrible nightmare.

Yuuichirou couldn't be any more ashamed for failing to meet the expectations of his alpha, his mate, his _husband_.

 _Oh, god... I didn't realize that I'm this broken..._

"You're not broken, Yuu-chan..." Mikaela murmured after the thought was uttered, startling Yuuichirou a bit. "You may have experienced sexual and drug abuses from my uncle, and yet, you still remained headstrong and resilient. You were traumatized but definitely not broken. It just needs time and patience for things like this to heal and I'm more than happy to wait if you so wish."

Yuuichirou stared at the alpha through his bangs before protesting weakly. "But tonight, I... I want to make it special for you and me. I don't want my damn trauma to hinder this... We've gone so far..."

Mikaela smiled understandingly before he kissed Yuuichirou on his hair, savoring the scent of his love in the brief contact. "I know, Yuu-chan, but your well-being is far more important to me than anything." Mikaela then lifted Yuuichirou's left hand where a gold ring was resting on his ring finger and kissed it. "I love you far too much, and as such, I'm willing to make sacrifices for you and only you. I promised that to you in my vow, didn't I?"

"Mika..."

Mikaela then kissed Yuuichirou's hand and each of his fingers with soft touches of his lips and hovered above the knuckle as he continued, "We don't have to do it tonight; we have a lot of time, Yuu-chan, so please don't force yourself. Take your time."

"That's... That's the problem, you see..."

Mikaela raised a brow before he lifted his head to look at his raven beta. "Hm? What is?"

Yuuichirou's cheeks bloom a red color and he looked away in embarrassment. "Me... Being this excited..."

The alpha tilted his head slightly at the confession, a bit confused. Yuuichirou groaned.

"I'm... e-excited tonight because..." _God, this is embarrassing!_ "I finally get to mate with you after months of fantasizing and masturbating about you a-and letting you rut against me... And loving you just added more to the fuel so..." Yuuichirou stuttered nervously. "In other words, Mika... I don't think I could exactly wait anymore..."

Now, it was Mikaela's turn to have a red face.

"Oh, er, I understand, Yuu-chan, but you-"

"To hell with my trauma! I want you, Mika, but my body just won't...!"

Yuuichirou's words were cut off when Mikaela suddenly grabbed his face and kissed him hard. Yuuichirou squeaked in surprise before he winced a bit when he felt a small prick of pain on his bottom lip that made him taste metal on his tongue. Mikaela, as if sensing the injury, gently took Yuuichirou's lip and sucked the blood out, purring pleasantly at his mate's taste as he nursed and coaxed him to open his mouth more.

Yuuichirou immediately obeyed without a second thought, and soon, his bottom lip wasn't the only one Mikaela's tongue was massaging. Hot breaths and hints of teeth meet once again in their sloppy yet passionate kiss that had Yuuichirou spellbound in only a matter of seconds that he barely noticed Mikaela loosening his robe more and laying him down on the futon.

Green eyes blinked hazily when Mikaela slowly pulled back again with a string of saliva connecting them that the alpha broke by licking his partially swollen lips, his form looming over Yuuichirou's as blue eyes wandered down the sight of his lover's body being barely covered by the robe. Yuuichirou's face flushed steadily in the way his husband was staring at him so intently, strongly feeling Mikaela's lust and desire for him through his scent and the manner those pupils dilate. He thought - for a moment - that Mikaela was going to eat him alive if it weren't for Mikaela's self-control.

It honestly terrified Yuuichirou, but he could also feel some form of thrill at having his mate look at him with so much want and possessiveness that it made his arousal came back in full force and he became uncomfortably hot in between the legs. The heat and pressure on his groin had Yuuichirou squirming against the sheets and breathing labored, needing his release so bad it hurt.

"M-Mika, I'm...mph…"

A lone finger gently pressed on plush lips.

"I know." Mikaela breathed, grasping Yuuichirou's left hand again to kiss and nibble on the skin above his wedding ring. Yuuichirou shuddered. "But promise me that if you don't like something, you'll tell me right away, okay? I don't want to force you into this simply because we have to." Mikaela kissed the back of Yuuichirou's hand and then his palm, his lips hovering on the beta's wrist where he knew he marked Yuuichirou before. "I love you and I'll honor you for as long as I live. You have my word on that."

 _He's holding back for my sake..._

Yuuichirou's eyes widened a bit in realization and his heart beat again at Mikaela's thoughtfulness. But then again, the alpha – his husband – was always like that ever since he first met him and it never failed to both surprise and warm Yuuichirou up inside and his lips curled into an endearing smile.

"I promise." Was what Yuuichirou said before he opened his mouth and caught Mikaela's finger between his lips and began to lick and suck on it.

Mikaela bit on his lip as he watched and felt his finger inside Yuuichirou's wet, hot mouth with his finger pad brushing against his tongue. Hesitantly, Mikaela added another finger inside, and just like the first one, Yuuichirou eagerly sucked on it without losing his rhythm, the pink appendage going so far as to tease and twirl around the fingers.

"Fuck…" The blond cursed as he remembered briefly how good that tongue had felt against his mouth and cock; how the delicious tinges of electricity ran through his nerves at each and every contact and press of it against him. And as a plus, the view made Yuuichirou extremely sexy, which made Mikaela's blood run south in only a matter of seconds.

Not wanting this to be one-sided, Mikaela took the implied invitation and suckled on Yuuichirou's wrist, occasionally grazing his teeth on the creamy, soft skin until it made a noticeable bite bloom red in place of what used to be teeth marks. The nostalgia of it made Mikaela smile before he proceeded into kissing Yuuichirou's arm lovingly, sometimes throwing in bites and nips to express his inner alpha's possessiveness towards his mate.

Yuuichirou shivered in delight at the attention he was receiving and he sucked hard onto Mikaela's fingers to encourage his alpha to do more, to kiss him more, to bite him more, to mark him more, just _more_ ; the need of it slowly driving Yuuichirou's mind crazy.

"Mmph… _Mika_ …" He mewed despite the fingers occupying his mouth. His skin prickled and his nerves burn into every touch that his alpha was making, knowing well that Mikaela was being territorial and it undeniably excited him.

Yuuichirou's hands reached and clenched tight on the sheets when Mikaela began to go to other places of his body. Mikaela paid special attention to Yuuichirou's neck where his mate's scent glands were and began peppering kisses on the delicate flesh, sucking hard enough to cause some of the beta's scent to escape and spread around. The smallest whiff of his mate's familiar yet still intoxicating scent had Mikaela's blood running hot in his veins and his cock stirred in his slacks which he unabashedly pressed down on Yuuichirou's thigh, earning him a gasp in between muffled mewls and groan; his sensual sounds adding more fire to Mikaela's arousal.

" _Haah_ … Yuu-chan…" Mikaela husked before he pressed a kiss on the protruding collarbone of his lover. "You're so perfect, so beautiful in so many ways…"

Yuuichirou trembled at Mikaela's deep, lewd voice being said near his ear and he whimpered when he felt a tongue lapping at his left nipple and fingers rolling the other, simultaneously stimulating both nubs that eventually became red and pebbled under Mikaela's ministrations as gentle licks turned rough and insistent. The sensation caused Yuuichirou to arch his back and increase the volume of his cries.

The reaction pleased Mikaela and he unconsciously withdrew his fingers from Yuuichirou's mouth as he went lower, spreading butterfly kisses on Yuuichirou's abdomen and hips, making sure that every crevice and hollow wasn't left untouched by the blond's lips and tongue. And without breaking the flow of his reverence to his lover's body, Mikaela gently lifted one of Yuuichirou's legs and kissed and licked his mate's calf up until his innermost thigh, doing the same treatment with the other leg and even nipping at it when he went near Yuuichirou's heat.

"Aaah, _Mika_ …!" Yuuichirou cried out before shamelessly moaning loud when fingers wrapped and stroke on his erection under his bathrobe, pre-cum oozing out from the tip within a few more strokes.

He turned his head on the pillow and clutched it with his hand in a vice grip as he tried to gain control of his erratic breathing, trying his best to not come just from Mikaela simply touching him for the first time. But with the way the pace increased little by little, the pressure intensified and the coil in Yuuichirou's gut became unbearable for him stop and soon he was screaming in an unsteady crescendo of lewd moans and Mikaela's name on his tongue.

"Oh, god… _Aaah!_ Mika, I― _I can't, I…!_ _Ngh!_ " Yuuichirou swore and he slapped a hand to his mouth to prevent any more noises from coming out, going so far as to bite harshly down on his bottom lip.

"It's all right, love. Just let it out." Mikaela whispered encouragingly as he leaned close to Yuuichirou enough to have their foreheads touching while he continued to pump his mate's cock in firmer strokes, his palm sliding up and down against the slick, hard flesh that pulsed in his hold. "Come for me, Yuu-chan."

Shutting his eyes closed, Yuuichirou arched his back high enough that his chest was meeting Mikaela's and he came with a small sound leaking out of his hand, his body tensed from his orgasm. Mikaela nuzzled and kissed Yuuichirou all over his face to help his lover recover, emitting his scent while purring in content upon seeing his mate in a state of bliss, completely oblivious of Yuuichirou's hand inching up between them. He was only made aware when he heard the sound of a zipper being undone.

"Yuu-chan, what are you…?"

"You haven't come yet. Do you really think I would let our wedding night be like this?" Yuuichirou fluttered his eyes open and he smirked lazily at Mikaela as he reached out for Mikaela's hardened cock underneath his boxers and stroke. "I want you to enjoy as well, Mika. Please."

Mikaela gulped soundlessly at what his mate meant and he tentatively moved his cum coated fingers to rim Yuuichirou's puckered entrance, being extremely mindful of his lover. Yuuichirou instinctively flinched at the foreign feeling but he slowly relaxed when Mikaela allowed him to get used to it before a finger was being plunged inside the tight ring of muscle slowly and carefully.

Yuuichirou's body drew taut as he felt the intrusion but he relaxed almost immediately with how Mikaela was handling him so gently. It was like he couldn't feel anything until Mikaela slipped in a second finger to join the first in working him open and that was when Yuuichirou gave out a tiny wince at the familiar burning sensation of his muscles being stretched. And in response, his hold on Mikaela's cock tightened while a choked moan rippled through his throat.

"Mph, Yuu-chan..." Mikaela grunted through clenched teeth as he tried his best to not give into his instincts to speed everything up, seeing how it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore his inner alpha while he stretched Yuuichirou open and feel his velvety heat; temptations plaguing his mind. However, he wanted, more than anything, to make Yuuichirou feel loved while getting pleasure at the same time to show how much Mikaela cherished him in so many ways than one... especially tonight.

There was no room for haste or roughness in this as Mikaela continued to prepare his mate with careful motions of his fingers, going deeper in each thrust and drawing out pleasured cries from his lover. His fingers would occasionally brush against a spot inside that made Yuuichirou squirm and moan wantonly against the bed, catching on how much it made Yuuichirou feel so good through his scent. The reaction was enough for Mikaela to deem his mate ready and pull his fingers out from the now spasming, gaping hole that looked lonely without his fingers.

"I think you're ready, Yuu-chan." The alpha groaned as he planted a kiss on Yuuichirou's nose, stilling himself.

"If I'm ready..." Yuuichirou murmured before he slowly let go Mikaela's cock and raised his legs to spread them wide with his hands holding the back of his knees, exposing himself so lewdly that Mikaela's cock twitched again at the sight as Yuuichirou continued, "Then, take me, Mika."

Mikaela didn't need to be told twice when Yuuichirou presented himself to him and stroke his cock before lining himself up to Yuuichirou's entrance, spreading the pre-cum of his cock all over the perineum before it caught on the rim. Mikaela bit on his bottom lip as one of his hand gripped on the sheets as he slowly pushed inside Yuuichirou's puckered hole.

Yuuichirou gasped when something big and hard began to push into him, stretching him wide to the point of discomfort. He could feel himself being worked open the more Mikaela would push his throbbing, hot cock inside. His insides were tightening and convulsing at the intrusion.

"Mmn, Yuu-chan…. So tight…" Mikaela murmured as he paused in his thrusting to make Yuuichirou get used to the feeling of having his ass being penetrated.

"S-Sorry, it's just that… You're s-so big…" The beta panted as his hands gripped on his spread thighs to help calm himself down. "It's amazing, _ngh_ …"

Yuuichirou's breathing hitched as Mikaela began to move again, filling him. He could feel the pressure building up inside his belly that caused his breaths to come out labored. Yet, Yuuichirou was patient despite the circumstances happening and he allowed his body to get used to the pain willingly – never once voicing out a complaint as he welcomed Mikaela more inside of him. He wanted this, after all; wanting to feel his husband in the most intimate manner of their relationship after days of forbidding it.

He eventually let out a soft cry when he felt his lover bottom out, feeling the alpha's balls – full and heavy – against his thighs as his body twitched on the bed. Yuuichirou fought for air with his chest heaving up and down for deep, slow inhales. He peeked up to Mikaela who had his eyes shut tight as his body too twitched at the pressure.

"Mika…" Yuuichirou cooed as he languidly loosen the hold that he had on his thighs so that he could cup Mikaela's face, rubbing the skin that prompted Mikaela to open his eyes and see Yuuichirou before him.

The gentle expression Yuuichirou wore for Mikaela warmed his heart and he turned his head so that he could kiss his palm. His lips formed to a smile.

"I'm fine. I was just a bit overwhelmed." He whispered.

Yuuichirou chuckled. "Same."

The both of them looked in each other's eyes for a moment before Mikaela leaned in to kiss Yuuichirou fully on his lips whilst slowly moving his hips. A quiet, muffled moan escaped from Yuuichirou as he felt movement. His hands lowered from Mikaela's face to his shoulders so that he could grip on to something whenever Mikaela would thrust and grind into him, hitting the deepest parts inside that fingers alone couldn't reach.

It felt strange and a bit painful with how thick Mikaela's girth was and how Yuuichirou's body wasn't meant for mating with an alpha. Yet, even so, Yuuichirou couldn't deny the smallest change of sensation that slowly but surely dulled the pain and replaced it with something that had his blood rushing within his veins, and enlighting a heat that left him craving for more. They parted from the kiss for air and Yuuichirou used the opportunity to wrap his thighs around Mikaela's waist, encasing the alpha in between his legs and pulling him in further despite the trembling.

"Mika... Mika... _Ah...!_ " Yuuichirou cried out as his back arched from the sheets, his chest meeting Mikaela's as electricity flowed through his nerves when Mikaela hit something inside him, making Yuuichirou see stars for a moment before it settled to calm.

"D-Don't, _mph_... I-I'm sensitive there... M-Mika..." The beta whined even if his glazed eyes were pleading for Mikaela to do it again.

"But this is where you feel good, right?" Mikaela rasped with a crooked smile as he repeated the same motions again, hitting against Yuuichirou's prostate and earning a raucous moan from his lover. This encouraged his thrust to be harder and fuller in depth. "Don't deny yourself this. I want you to feel enjoy yourself, Yuu-chan."

"T-That's... _Aah_! Mika...!" Yuuichirou's face flushed a deep red and he bit on his bottom lip as his prostate was touched again. His body quivered and his inner wall squeezed down in reaction.

Harsh breaths puffed out of Yuuichirou's gaping mouth and he clung onto Mikaela like his life depended on it the more they moved on the mattress in desperate unison, wrinkling the sheets beneath their now sweaty bodies. The sounds and smell of their lovemaking continue to spread all around the bedroom, spurring Mikaela on as he began to drill himself in Yuuichirou's heat and making sure that each thrust had the other mewling out his pleasure.

Mikaela wasn't holding back in his own sounds as soft moans spilled from his lips whenever Yuuichirou's velvety walls would clench and suck him in, making him vividly feel everything that was of his lover. The intimate connection of it swelled Mikaela's heart with affection for the man before him and he couldn't be any more happy into sharing such a thing with person the he love the most. And he would do within his power to make Yuuichirou know this as many times as possible.

"Mngh, Yuu-chan..." Mikaela panted as he undid the grip he hand on the sheets so that he could grip the headboard of the bed instead. His fingers scratching against the dark, polished wood while he drove himself faster and harder inside Yuuichirou. "You mean everything to me; my heart, my world, my everything. I love you. I love you so much."

" _Aah, ngh-! M-Mika...!_ " Yuuichirou nearly screamed as the rhythm of Mikaela's thrusts continuously hit on his prostate, tightening the coil in his belly as he cant his hips to meet Mikaela's pushes. "Me too, _hah_ , I-I love you so much- _ah_!"

Yuuichirou lifted his hands up to cup Mikaela's face once more, making them look at each other as the pleasure within them build up even hotter and hotter that it was almost scorching. Hot breaths mingled together as Yuuichirou caught Mikaela's lips in short yet sweet kisses that left the both of them breathless.

However, that didn't stop Yuuichirou from gasping out encouragements for Mikaela to hear.

"C-Come closer please, _a-aah, haah._.. Take everything; make me yours, _haa, ahn_...!"

"Yuu-chan..." Mikaela made a choked noise as he pulled back and pushed back in hard, smacking their skins together and giving a final thrust right up against Yuuichirou's prostate before he came. Mikaela's body tensed up once he found his release. His fingernails dug itself on the wooden headboard as he filled his lover to the brim, panting to catch his breath.

Yuuichirou's eyes widened a bit and his mouth opened in a silent scream once he felt a warm, thick liquid flowing in him so deeply, causing him to arch his back and convulse while he came as well and painted the expanse of his stomach white. He gripped around Mikaela tighter while trembling still from his orgasm, trying to calm down despite the tiny whimpers escaping now and then.

"You... You weren't holding back on the last minute, huh?" Yuuichirou pointed out with a chuckle before it was replaced by a brief groan when he felt Mikaela's cum overflowing his entrance and sluicing down to the sheets. "O-Oh, fuck, ah, _ow_...!"

A dull pain blooming on his navel pulsated all throughout his body. Yuuichirou could feel Mikaela's cock being pushed in a bit further and it was soon followed by his inner walls being stretched more than they should.

"Urgh, hrmph..." Yuuichirou winced as this thing continued to grow inside him, nearly stretching his limits yet he didn't demand Mikaela to pull out since he know full well what he was doing.

Mikaela was knotting him, but because Yuuichirou wasn't an omega like he was before, the knotting was excruciatingly painful for him. It felt like Yuuichirou was being torn apart from the inside, causing him to dig his fingernails on Mikaela's back whilst biting his lips as he did his utmost best to relax his body around the forming knot. With how painful it was, Yuuichirou could have sworn he was bleeding.

It didn't take long for the knot to completely form inside and Yuuichirou released a breath he didn't know he held in as Mikaela gently settled them on the bed. Their labored breaths mixed together as they moved side by side with Mikaela hugging Yuuichirou close.

"I'm sorry..." Mikaela apologized softly despite the pain was blossoming on his back from the scratches Yuuichirou made. "It was just a natural thing since my rut is coming close due to spring."

"Ah, the spring cycle, huh? Yeah, I know." Yuuichirou smiled though it was strained because of the pain on his lower part from earlier. "It's okay. I'm aware of what was coming so this is nothing, Mika. I can endure this much."

"But you're in pain, aren't you?" The alpha asked in concern as he cupped Yuuichirou's face.

The raven chuckled. "I'm fine, really. It'll just take time to get used to it but I'm ready for it. Don't worry."

Yuuichirou held Mikaela close as he slowly loosen his thighs around his waist and lazily grazed his smooth skin against his husband as he kissed Mikaela's nose.

"But overall, you're amazing." The beta complimented with a cheeky grin. "It was a bit painful with how well-endowed you are, though nonetheless, it felt good."

Yuuichirou lifted a finger up and playfully tapped Mikaela's nose. His eyes were filled with so much love for his mate.

"After your knot is done, let's do it again please." He requested with a huge grin.

Mikaela gave Yuuichirou a hesitant look. "But I don't want to hurt you. You must in so much pain after the knotting..."

"Oh, please..." Yuuichirou chuckled. "The pain only served as a reminder for me that you had marked me as yours inside out. There's nothing to be ashamed of all because of knotting pain."

"Yuu-chan..."

"So when we can go again..." Yuuichirou purred as he raised a hand to rub Mikaela's neck where his scent glands were, pushing his fingers down a bit. "I want to try being on top of you."

That made one of Mikaela's brows raised up.

"... Can you handle it?" He asked in a near seductive tone as his hands lowered down to rub Yuuichirou's lower back side eliciting a gasp that turned to a purr.

"I can handle it more than you can imagine so you better prepare yourself, Mika." Yuuichirou husked with a lick of his lips. "Because we are not having any sleep tonight."

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

There are a couple of things that I want to say in here:

-Firstly, I'm really, really, _**really** _ sorry that this chapter took **weeks** to finish. I lost my motivation halfway through the chapter because of real life problems that keeps on pressuring me nonstop... and also because the (MikaYuuMika... or better yet, the entire OnS) fandom is going through a huge mess (too diffcult to clean up) because of a lot of disagreements  & hates on certain headcanons & preferences (like can you guys just get along and NOT fight over something so fictional? Geez. *smacks head*) that it's hard for me to actually continue writing for this fandom. But, nevertheless, with a lot of willpower, time and support, this chapter has finally seen the light! *chorus of angels*

-Secondly, I want to thank everyone - readers, supporters and friends alike (even those who followed me in Twitter and suddenly unfollowed me a few days later) - who have read this story of mine despite its irregular hiatuses. Thank you so much for reading this until the very end. But, special thanks goes to Cole, Suu and Roxy who accepted my invitation and took the time to draw for this specific chapter because of the occasion happening here (I'll put the images up here when Tumblr stops being bad to me eventually). But for those who still want to draw for this, be my guest~! ^^

-And lastly, despite this story coming to an end, the series as whole is not yet over~! I discussed this with one of my readers in Twitter regarding this and I'm happy to announce that there will be FOUR more stories coming out after this, each focusing on different pairings with different stories that connect to one another and reveal more information that answers to your questions, such as the two forbidden drugs that Yuu took during his puberty years, the real reason why Mika's father abandoned Krul, and many more!

There's still one last chapter after this, and I hope that I get to see all of you guys again. Once more, thank you for your never ending support & keep on staying awesome and lovely.

P.S.: I'm sorry if my writing turned sloppy. I hope I didn't disappoint anyone though... (?) :,) *plays with fingers*


	26. The Beginning from an End

**Chapter 26: The Beginning from an End**

Gentle yet insistent kisses slowly woke Yuuichirou up from a night of peaceful slumber and his eyes fluttered open to see Mikaela all neat and dressed up for his day activities ahead. Apparently, the alpha had become quite busy after their honeymoon since Guren told him that he would personally train Mikaela in order for him to complete his internship as well as teach him to handle affairs of the Ichinose's now that the blond was married to Yuuichirou. And because Mikaela was an alpha ― a status higher than Yuuichirou ― he was given the responsibility to be the next patriarch of the family but that didn't entirely stop Yuuichirou from wanting to deal with his family's affairs himself if he so desired.

They were both Ichinose's now, after all.

"Mm… Morning…" Yuuichirou greeted as he began to return the kisses with his own.

"Good morning, Yuu-chan." Mikaela purred fondly while he nuzzled on his mate's hair when Yuuichirou kissed his jaw. "I'll be back in a few hours, okay? I'll try to meet you over in lunchtime if my workload isn't much."

Yuuichirou snorted lightly. "Idiot, you're training in our house, in our estate. I can go to you whenever I please and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Mikaela chuckled at his husband's sassy attitude in the morning and he kissed Yuuichirou's forehead. "Careful, love. Just because you're the Prime Minister's son, you can't just simply butt in when Guren-san is working. He'll be pissed again."

"Is it wrong for me to visit my husband when I want to see him?" The raven beta pouted as he reached a hand out to undo the first few buttons of Mikaela's shirt. He traced the mating mark he implanted on Mikaela's shoulder in a feather light touch. It caused Mikaela to shudder and Yuuichirou's smile widened at the reaction.

"It's not wrong, Yuu-chan… But, _mmn_ , you see me everyday now." The alpha said, sounding a bit winded when he felt his body reacting to Yuuichirou's finger on his mating mark. "It isn't enough?"

"It's _never_ enough." Yuuichirou corrected as he slowly sat up on the bed so that he was in the same level as Mikaela's despite the pain radiating on his naked backside from the previous night while his hands relentlessly continued unbuttoning Mikaela's shirt open. He reveled in the way Mikaela wasn't protesting or demanding him to stop, but instead, he was silently urging Yuuichirou to continue, his blue eyes watching his mate's actions with heat.

"You're mine, Mika, and I want to love you in anyway I can." The beta claimed boldly as he leaned close and mouthed his mating mark on his alpha, sucking on the bruised skin and releasing some of Mikaela's pheromones in the air, clutching onto him like his life depended on it.

"Yuu-chan is so needy in the morning." Mikaela teased before he groaned when Yuuichirou suckled on a particularly sensitive spot. "Although, I could say the same thing about myself…"

At this, Yuuichirou jolted and gasped when he felt something warm suddenly touch the mating mark on his hips underneath the blankets, followed by a hand fondling one of his ass cheeks and fingers rimming on his partially lose entrance. He shivered in delight as a familiar heat made his loins tingle and his body flush against his alpha and he breathed out a plea under his breath.

The reaction was more than enough for Mikaela to forgo his usual punctuality and neatness so that he could kiss his lover senseless, claim his body all over again and whisper sweet nothings on his ear as they made love; responding in sync to each other's needs like they did in so many passionate nights and some fleeting moments together.

Neither Mikaela nor Yuuichirou would have asked for a better life. Everything was just so perfect.

* * *

"… You're awfully sluggish today, Yuu. Is something bothering you?" Shihou commented as he watched Yuuichirou beside him when they took a break from their sparring session in the Ichinose Dojo.

"Not that I know of…?" Yuuichirou replied with an unsure tone while he made a quick check on his vitals to see if there really was something wrong with him. "There's nothing wrong with me and I'm moving like I usually do. You're probably imagining things, Kimizuki."

"Would an alpha like me lie to someone of your status?" Shihou asked in such a serious voice that made the raven beta worry. "Maybe we should stop here for now and you go see Goshi-sensei. Perhaps it's a symptom for a cold?"

"Oh, I hope not. Mika would worry for me so much that he'll practically force me to stay in bed all day. Not that I mind being doted on by Mika but I'm not made of glass, you know."

Shihou chuckled lightly at the suggestion and shrugged his shoulders. "Hey, the next Ichinose patriarch is just doing his job as your husband and mate. Cut him some slack when he worries about your well-being."

"I guess…" Yuuichirou murmured before he stood up from his spot on the dojo's floor and handed Shihou his bamboo sword whilst walking towards the door. "Fine, I'll go see Goshi-sensei after I change my clothes. I'll leave the dojo in your care, Kimizuki."

Shihou bowed respectfully at Yuuichirou as he firmly said, "Yes, sir."

Yuuichirou sighed in relief as he loosened his training gears for a bit and closed the sliding door behind him. He began to think back on what Shihou said to him a few minutes ago and he grew bewildered.

 _Me, becoming sluggish? That's impossible, right?_

Yuuichirou bit on his bottom lip as he walked through familiar hallways of the Ichinose Estate that led to his room, all the while becoming increasingly confused and anxious at Shihou's observations during their sparring. He thought of things that might relate like fatigue, loss of appetite or distractions… but all that Yuuichirou could ever think of was the fact that he and Mikaela had quite a lot of sex recently and that his backside was slightly aching prior to his session.

… _Ah! Maybe that's it!_

Yuuichirou nodded his head in affirmation at the possible cause of his poor performance today and he began to make limitations of his sex life with Mikaela until his stomach suddenly began to cramp rather painfully that he could feel bile rising up to his throat. Eyes widening, he immediately clamped a hand over to his mouth to prevent whatever was threatening to come out and clutched on his stomach to numb the pain even for a bit while he ran over to his bedroom's bathroom.

He barged open the door and sought the sink where he released everything that he was holding in, consciously opening the faucet to wash away the contents into the drain. Yuuichirou panted deeply to calm his breathing and stomach ache, rubbing it to help ease the pain away.

… _What was that?_

"Huh, Yuu-kun?"

Yuuichirou flinched when he heard Yoichi's voice and he turned his head to find his servant with a handful of clean sheets in his arms looking at him in awe.

"Y-Yoichi… What…?"

"Ah, I was just about to change your bed sheets for the month and I saw you running in. Is something the matter?" Yoichi asked with a worried expression at his master's pale complexion.

"No, nothing." Yuuichirou answered with a shake of his head. "It's just a stomach ache and all… Nothing to worry about…"

"That's terrible…!" Yoichi cried out as he immediately placed the sheets he was holding onto the bed and he went over to Yuuichirou's side. "Please allow me to accompany you to Goshi-sensei for an immediate check up!"

"I-I can do it on my own, Yoichi. It's fine."

"The last time you said that, you fainted in the middle of the stairs!"

Yuuichirou pursed his lips as he remembered the memory of nearly killing himself because he lost consciousness while climbing a couple of stairs and gave heart attacks to the employees present in the scene, including Yoichi's. Sighing in defeat, he gave his servant a wry smile and nod of his head so as to not repeat the same mistake.

"Okay, okay. I'm counting on you, Yoichi."

That seemed to put Yoichi into a good mood and he readily lent his shoulder for Yuuichirou when he caught a faint yet distinct change in the scent his master was emitting. Olive green eyes blinked and he gave Yuuichirou a weird look before he leaned close to smell more of that scent, shocking the raven at the omega's strange behavior.

"Yoichi, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, it's just that your scent is…" Yoichi trailed off, hesitant to continue like he realized what was really happening to Yuuichirou. "Um, Yuu-kun… I think ― I _just_ think ― that something is happening to you… Inside there…"

Yuuichirou raised a brow in confusion at Yoichi's words. "Well, obviously since I just threw up a while ago. I'm just going to get a stomach ache medicine from Goshi-sensei and everything will be okay."

The omega shook his head. "No, that's not what I meant."

Yoichi then pointed down on Yuuichirou's belly repeatedly to indicate what he meant and Yuuichirou's eyes followed suit; his face turning from puzzlement to confusion to comprehension little by little and he gave Yoichi a look.

"That's… impossible. I can't be…" The beta whispered.

Yoichi patted Yuuichirou on the shoulder and smiled happily at him from ear to ear, as if he was saying his congratulations at what they both find out despite the uncertainty. "There's only one way to find out."

* * *

After taking a quick shower and changing his clothes, Yuuichirou now stood before three pregnancy tests sitting still on the sink as he waited for the results in three minutes time. He waited patiently but intensely as he watched the numbers in the digital clock of his phone.

He was so tensed; he didn't even notice the door of the bedroom being opened and closed as another person entered and he flinch when a pair of arms hugged from behind, immediately recognizing his mate's presence.

"Yuu-chan, I heard what happened from Yoichi. Is everything all right?"

Mikaela's worried voice calmed Yuuichirou down and the beta hunched, comfortably leaning back on the blond.

"I'm fine, but…" Yuuichirou played with his fingers for a bit before he turned around in Mikaela's arms so that he was now facing him with his cheeks dusting a healthy pink color. "Mika, I… I might be pregnant."

"… Pregnant?" Mikaela repeated in disbelief at first before he raised his voice slightly in surprise. "You're pregnant?!"

"I might be…!" Yuuichirou quickly added on as he explained himself. "I-I don't know how it happened. I was having a sparring session with Kimizuki who told me that I'm kind of sluggish in my performance and he told me to go see Goshi-sensei just in case it might be a cold and then I had this terrible stomachache on my way to my room then Yoichi caught me and wanted to help but he figured that something is off with me and suggested me to take the tests, and then..."

"Yuu-chan, ssh, calm down. It's okay." Mikaela cooed as he hugged Yuuichirou closer, releasing his scent to let his mate relax. "We'll figure out whatever might be the cause of your sudden stomach ache, but for now, let's see the result of the tests. Betas have an uncommon ratio to produce offsprings from either alpha or omega mates, and children from alpha-beta pairs aren't unheard of in society. If you do happen to be pregnant, though…"

Mikaela trailed off as a smile formed on his lips and his blue eyes glimmered with unshed tears of happiness while he looked down on his mate with all the love in the world.

"I'll be so happy that I could die."

Yuuichirou's breath hitched in his throat at the confession as he stared at Mikaela for a bit before he looked down on his phone again to see that three minutes passed. He pursed his lips together and twisted his upper body from Mikaela's embrace, signaling that the results were now out.

Mikaela prepared himself as Yuuichirou deciphered the results.

The raven's lips quivered.

"… Positive."

Mikaela thought he stopped breathing for a moment. "What?"

"It's positive." Yuuichirou repeated again as his form trembled and he looked up to Mikaela with tears flowing out of his eyes and a smile on his lips while he held out all three pregnancy tests. "It's all positive…! We're going to be parents!"

Mikaela could feel his own cheeks become wet from the news as his happiness overflowed so much that he lifted Yuuichirou up and twirled him around with a huge smile. "Oh my god, Yuu-chan! I'm so happy for us! So fucking happy!"

Mikaela led them to the bed where he laid Yuuichirou down and started raining kisses all over the beta's face. Yuuichirou giggled at the overly affectionate gesture and returned the kisses as he hugged Mikaela back as soon as the kisses die down little by little, their noses nuzzling against each other while they calmed their breathings down.

"I've just witnessed a miracle unfold…" Mikaela breathed as he kissed Yuuichirou's lips softly. "We should tell them about this right away."

"Hmm, maybe later." The beta suggested and, using what ever strength he had left, rolled his alpha on the bed so that he was now straddling Mikaela's hips with his thighs as he gently took one of Mikaela's hands to press on his belly where their child was growing. Yuuichirou smiled in content. "I'd like us to spend this moment for our child to get to know us better. You don't object, do you?"

"No, I don't." Mikaela agreed wholeheartedly while he rubbed on his mate's belly, bringing his other hand up to feel it and smiling when he sensed a small, yet strong life form inside Yuuichirou. Oh, how Mikaela feel like crying again at this very special moment. He never felt so happy.

"I love you. I really do." The alpha said after a while of simply relishing on the fact that he had successfully impregnated his mate despite their difference in dynamics. "You're just so amazing, Yuu-chan."

"I could say the same thing about you, Mika." Yuuichirou snickered as he lowered down and planted a tender kiss on Mikaela's lips. "I love you too. And with that love, we were given a very special gift."

Reaching down on his abdomen, Yuuichirou overlapped Mikaela's hand with his own and caressed the skin underneath his palm, also sensing their child's growth within his womb and filling the beta with a rare quality of overprotective warmth. He had never felt anything like this before but it was certainly not unwelcomed. In fact, new sensations are coming to him now that his body was able to produce an offspring.

The noticeable changes should worry Yuuichirou since it was considered almost abnormal for most betas such as him to experience this kind of thing, but when he saw how happy Mikaela was, he could forget all that bullshit and raise his own family together with his husband in a place where love and peace exist. It was everything he ever wanted, and now that he finally had it, he would never let it go.

And in nearly three years of paranoia and reliving the horrible things in his life, Yuuichirou finally found his happiness along with the love of his life.

He wouldn't have it any other way.

 _Fin._

* * *

 **Author's Note:**

WAAAAAAHHHH! THIS IS THE END, GUYS! ;;A;; THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING THIS UNTIL THE END AND LEAVING SUCH KIND AND NICE COMMENTS FOR IT, LIKE I'M-DSBVFZNLJCNJDNA! I can't express how much I'm grateful for you guys for sticking up with me despite the irregular updates of the story. I apologize if my writing became sloppy in the end of the previous chapter ;;;;;

But anyway, it's already been a year (and a half) since this story was written, and just like any other, it must come to an end. :,) It was one wild yet unforgettable ride in writing this one, but nonetheless, I'm glad that I get to share it with you wonderful, awesome, lovely people. Once again, thank you to you, my readers and supporters, for joining me in this journey and stay tuned for the next installment of the Prime Minister series~!

Continue to stay fabulous~!

P.S.: I FULFILLED MY GOAL IN WRITING 100,000+K WORDS! *CELEBRATES*


	27. Sneak Peek: In Cold Blood

**Sneak Peek: In Cold Blood**

"Yoichi… Where's Mika?" Yuuichirou whined as he rolled restlessly on his nest with his black teddy bear, the Salt King, in his arms, his form curled into a ball on the soft mattress while he pouted his mouth. Tears were glazing his green eyes as he gave his servant the most pitiful look he could muster up. "I want to see him – no – I _need_ to see him. Please. I can't stand this!"

The omega couldn't help but chuckle at how adorable Yuuichirou looked and he raised a hand to rub on his scent glands to calm the other down as he entered the room. He sat down on the soft bedding where Yuuichirou was and patted him gently like a mother to a child would. It was proven effective because Yuuichirou immediately sighed in relief and his body practically sagged to relaxation on the bed, purring at the caresses of his friend.

"Shh… Mika-kun just left fifteen minutes ago since he still has lessons to take with Guren-sama, Yuu-kun." Yoichi explained as he caressed Yuuichirou's black locks and massaged his scalp. "He would soon become the patriarch of the Ichinose family, and besides, he still has to catch up with his internship, after all. Please understand."

"I know that, but…" The beta muttered against his teddy bear as his grip on it tightened and he glanced at Yoichi. "I just… I have to see him. I've been growing irritable this past weeks when I don't see him often. Is this an effect of being pregnant?"

"Hmm, perhaps..." Yoichi hummed as he gently urged Yuuichirou to roll on his back, his eyes immediately noticing the small baby bump on his master's belly underneath the hoodie he wore. "I don't really know how pregnancy works for betas so I can't say for certain. Maybe it's your instinct that made you want to see Mika-kun, to make sure he's safe? It's a pretty natural reaction since the two of you are mates."

"… M-Maybe." The beta agreed with a nod as he trailed a hand down on his belly to rub the round bump tenderly. "It's been... four months since the whole incident in France… Time sure flies; it almost feels like a dream."

"Indeed, it is." Yoichi agreed, idly remembering what had occurred in those past months. "A lot of things happened, huh? We learn more stuff, and at the same time, regret things too."

Yuuichirou hummed in agreement as he closed his eyes slowly with his hand resting protectively on his belly where his child was growing. A contented smile curled on his lips as he began to relax against the bed, feeling sleep slowly overcoming him. Yet, before he could allow sleep to come, he opened one eye on Yoichi and patted his belly softly.

"You can touch them too, you know…" He said which surprised Yoichi a bit. "You're one of their uncles so I'm sure they'll like to get to know you too."

Yoichi fretted, feeling embarrassed. "Oh, no, Yuu-kun. I can't possibly…"

"Touch them." The beta insisted with a fond smile for his friend.

Hesitantly, Yoichi reached a hand out to touch Yuuichirou's small, round belly. A look of amazement and warmth flashed on the omega's face as he rubbed the skin further before he jumped when he felt something touch his hand from the inside. Yoichi immediately recognized that it was a baby kick.

"O-Oh, was that…?"

"They're saying 'Hi' to you." Yuuichirou said with a grin. "Look at that… I bet they can't wait to see you, along with the others."

The beta's hearty laugh was endearing to hear.

"That's so cute." Yoichi chuckled as he leaned close to Yuuichirou's belly to whisper against it. "Aw, I also can't wait to see you too, little guy. I bet you'll look just as cool and amazing as your parents when you come here."

"Y-Yoichi…" Yuuichirou whined a bit as his face flushed in embarrassment at the compliment.

"I'm just saying the truth, Yuu-kun." Yoichi winked playfully as he leaned back. "Thank you, though, for letting me get closer to them. I know how protective you and Mika-kun could be, and I tell you, you two can be quite scary when someone you don't trust comes close to your child. It's really amazing."

Yuuichirou made a pouting face after hearing that. "But I do trust you, Yoichi. You were one of my childhood friends, so it's totally okay if you want to touch my child."

"With your permission, though." Yoichi added. "I won't do anything that might be uncomfortable to you unless I was given your consent. You're my master and it's my role to serve you as your personal butler, Yuu-kun. And besides..." The omega gave a short uneasy laugh. "Mika-kun can be frightening to other people, even me…"

"Ah…" Yuuichirou's mouth hang open in surprise before he puffed his cheeks with a frown. "Mika, seriously…"

"B-But, don't get mad at him, please." Yoichi immediately assured while raising his hands and waving it frantically. "I kind of understand why he would act like that since he was just here for nearly three months and he's still getting to know the people around you. Give him some time to know others in his own pace, okay?"

Yuuichirou thinned his lips in a line before he let out a tired sigh, rolling onto his side. "I'll talk to him about that when he comes back later, but for now, I want to take a rest…"

"I agree. Having proper rest is good to both you and the child." Yoichi said with a nod before standing up. "I'll prepare you some tea and cookies later on in case you want something to eat."

"Thanks a lot, Yoichi." Yuuichirou purred as he curled comfortably on his nest, nuzzling against the sheets like a cat as sleep eventually overcame him. The cute display made Yoichi smile.

However, his smile didn't last long when a knock made its way to Yuuichirou's room door. The brunet turn his head to see Shihou opening the door a bit to check the occupants of the room before sighing.

"There you are." He said hastily.

Yoichi tilt his head in confusion. "Shihou, what's up?"

"You have a call from the phone over the lobby." Shihou explained as he raised a hand up to scratch the back of his head with annoyance radiating in his being. "The caller was very insistent to speak with you and is practically very stubborn into giving any information as to why he wants to call you. So I thought that I should let you speak with him just to shut him up."

The omega covered his mouth a bit when a short laugh escaped his lips. "I see, thank you for telling me this."

He walked towards the door so that Yuuichirou could be left alone to sleep and closed the furniture behind them with a soft click. Olive green eyes looked up to Shihou with a smile as he bowed gratefully to the alpha which caused Shihou to blush lightly in embarrassment.

"You don't have to be so formal..."

"I can't help it. You have this air that spoke of authority so I think it's only right for me to polite." Yoichi giggled as he began to walk away in the hallways with Shihou following suite. "You're part of the secret service serving under the Ichinose's, after all, not to mention an alpha, so…"

"Yoichi." Shihou called out which made Yoichi stop walking. "You're no longer a victim of your past. In this house, you're free. Even Yuu said it himself, that the moment you were taken in by the Ichinose's to be trained as his personal butler, you can do whatever you want provided that you don't violate any rules of your job."

"I'm aware of that, Shihou." Yoichi nearly snapped yet he didn't look back at Shihou as one of his arms was raised to hold himself protectively. "... But I guess old habits die hard."

Pursing his lips, Yoichi continued to walk on, but this time, Shihou didn't trail behind him as he eventually reached the lobby floor. He immediately spotted the phone and took it on his ear to answer it.

"Hello…?"

"Is this Yoichi Saotome that I'm speaking to?" A deep voice asked on the line which made Yoichi hesitant to answer back but he did what he needed to as he spoke.

"... Yes, it is. May I ask who you are and why you're calling?"

The voice made an eerie chuckle that sent goosebumps on Yoichi's skin. "There's no need to know such unimportant things. After all, I just called in to deliver a message."

The omega felt slightly uneasy by that but he continued on. "And what kind of message is that, sir?"

"It's rather simple... _We have your sister, Tomoe Saotome_."

 **PRIME MINISTER'S BUTLER**

 **COMING SOON**


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